Police arraign four over alleged land grabbing

The Police in Lagos have arraigned four men before an Igbosere Magistate Court, over offences allegedly bordering on conspiracy, land grabbing, conducts that are likely to breach public peace and unlawful conversation of fund.

In a charge marked C/18/2015, the Police alleged that the defendants had between 2005 and 2017, conspired among themselves to forcibly and unlawfully take over a large expanse of land, at Akowonjo, area of Lagos state, belonging to one Alhaji A. R. Tijjani.

The defendants are Babagbemiga Olaiya, 48, Ismaila Babatunde, 51, Babalola Nofiu, 50, and Abiodun Ariori, whose age was not ascertained.

The police also alleged that the defendants and others still at large, at the same time and place, without lawful claim, used force and self-help to take over and hold on to the possession of the said land in a manner likely to cause breach of public peace.

They were also alleged to have without lawful authority sold off some parts of the land and converted the sum of N100 million, being theproceeds from the land to their own use.

However, the Defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.Consequently, the presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Abimbola Komolafe, admitted each of them to bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in the like sum and adjourned to May 30 for trial.