Property owners seeks LASG intervention over Oba Aromire’s intimidation

Many property owners in Iganmu Industrial Estate area of Lagos State currently facing a tear-filled season of groaning and gnashing of teeth due to ongoing torment unleashed on them by the Ojora of Ijora, Oba AbdulFatai Aromire has cried out to the state government to control the excesses of the monarch.

According to them, a gang of fierce looking hoodlums believed to be working for the monarch, has forcefully ejected many landlords and occupants of properties along Moshood Abiola Way (previously known as Apapa Road) in the industrial estate.

Led by policemen attached to the monarch, the thugs armed with dangerous weapons threatened to hurt anyone who attempted to enter the properties since they broke into them about six months ago, precisely April 2024, visiting them with wanton malicious damage amounting to hundreds of millions of Naira.

A visit to the area on Friday, September 20, confirms the presence of these thugs allegedly deployed by Oba Aromire to arm twist the property owners to pay new fees running into tens of millions of Naira or be forcibly ejected from their validly acquired properties.

Unable to meet the shylock conditions of the monarch, many of these helpless property owners have sought relief from the Lagos State Ministry of Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs, counting on them to prevail on Oba Aromire to rescind his decision, which they alleged is inflicting untold hardship and pain on them as law abiding citizens, and having acquired their properties within the ambit of known laws and traditional norms.

The victims claimed that several petitions bordering on threat to life, stealing, malicious damage, harassment, dislodgement, grabbing of developed property, and use of the police to intimidate them have been written to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), but they have not received any form of relief from law enforcers that they took their case to.

According to them, details of their harrowing travails and the losses they suffered as well as malicious damages estimated at over N10 billion were clearly outlined in the petitions. They further claim that the police authorities rather than give them succor, took them through a vexatious merry-go-round involving deliberate delay, extortion and frustration.

One of the victims who preferred to remain anonymous out of fear of what Oba Aromire could do to him said, “The case was referred to the AIG Zone 2, who ended up not doing anything but was working with the Ojora of Ijora. This act of intimidation by the Ojora against owners of properties in the Iganmu Industrial Estate-Lagos has forced many landlords to abandon their validly acquired property following the reign of terror unleashed on them when we couldn’t meet his arm-twisting demands.

“We were discussing with Oba Fatai Aromire because we did not know where he was coming from and he kept asking us for money for ratification and we were under the impression that we could reason with him until he came with area boys and the police to invade our property.”

According to him, Oba Fatai Aromire reportedly keeps asking for money for ratification, giving the impression that an amicable resolution could be reached. Suddenly, he sprung a surprise by invading the estate with area boys and the police.

“Initially, he started by asking for N2 billion. However, we have discovered unassailable evidence that he has no claim whatsoever to these properties. While we were discussing, he decided to invade our property with his gangsters,” he added.

The traumatised victim explained that the petition was not the first made to the IGP. “We have a copy of the first one we did and it was minuted to the then AIG Zone, who led us on a merry go round and ended up not doing anything and was in truth working with the Ojora from what we learnt later.”

According to him, the Ojora has reportedly boasted that he has an overriding influence on land in Lagos that is far beyond the powers of the Oba of Lagos and the state government, adding that he has successfully wrested land from many owners in the same area including the Delta State Government, even as his agents continue hounding property owners in the estate.

While the Police is presumed to have tactfully joined the monarch in intimidating the property owners, many interested parties are watching keenly to see how the Lagos State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs will respond to matters which they considered as daylight robbery.

All efforts made to get the police to react to the matter failed as phone calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages to the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, for verification were not answered as at press time.