Octogenarian laments alleged police harassment over Epe family land

The 86-year-old head of the Oni-Orisan family in Lagos Island, Alhaji Abdul-Moshood Babatunde, has expressed distress over the ongoing controversy surrounding the sale of family land to Harmony Gardens, a prominent real estate firm. He asserted that the deal, involving 10 acres of the family’s Oju Ota Gazetted property, was legitimate and conducted with the consent of his siblings.

According to him, he has repeatedly been summoned to the police station following a petition by disgruntled family members. In a press conference in Lagos, Babatunde, also known as Pa Mashood Oni-Orisan, stressed that the petitioners were working in cahoots with known agents recently accused of destroying property at Harmony Gardens worth billions of naira.

In his statement to journalists, Pa Mashood disclosed that he had already received an advance payment of N35 million from Harmony Gardens, with a remaining balance of N30 million pending.

However, the destruction of Harmony Gardens’ property hindered the completion of the transaction. He alleged that his half-sister orchestrated the petition against him to force a false narrative that Harmony Gardens had seized the land without payment.

Pa Mashood, who has limited mobility, expressed shock and anger at the treatment he received from the police. He recounted being subjected to harassment and threats by police officers despite his age and deteriorating health.

Clarifying his role in the land deal, he said he sold 10 acres of the family land to Harmony Gardens with his siblings’ full knowledge and consent. He also revealed that the family has over 5,400 acres of land in Epe, which is more than enough for everyone, highlighting that the Lagos State government has already acquired 2,000 acres for an airport project, but 3,400 remain, which should be sufficient for all 77 grandchildren to share.

Babatunde called on the Lagos State Attorney General to intervene and prevent his unlawful and malicious prosecution.

MEANWHILE, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) voiced its concerns over the actions of the police, labelling the alleged harassment of Pa Mashood as a blatant abuse of power and an infringement on his human rights.

The association in a statement by its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, also called on the Attorney General of Lagos State to intervene and prevent the alleged unlawful and malicious arraignment and prosecution of Babatunde.