Police Arraign Mutairu Owoeye And His Son, Ganiyu For Alleged Land Grabbing, Attempted Murder

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The police in Lagos on Tuesday arraigned a 67 year old man Mutairu Owoeye and his 42 year old son Ganiyu Owoeye before a Lagos State Magistrate’s Court in Igbosere over alleged invasion of 15 communities in Ibeju Lekki local government area....


The two men were arraigned before the court on the ordered the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris yesterday after a protest and appeal from the community to the police boss to save them from the alleged invaders.

The defendants, who were arrested on November 7 and were supposed to be arraigned before the Court on November 9 this year, were later released by the police but were rearrested following protest from the communities.

They were docked on Tuesday on a five count  charge of conspiracy, attempted murder, being in possession of firearms, unlawful invasion, stealing and illegal demolition of properties worth millions of Naira.

The defendants who are property developers and resides at KM 36, Abeokuta Expressway, Ogun State and 5, Owoeye Street, Sango Ota, Atan local government, area of Ogun state respectively were docked before Magistrate Ajoke Awogboro.

According to the police the defendants and others still at large were alleged to have ‎on April 17 2016, at about 8. Am at Oko-Olomi village Ibeju Lekki Lagos State invaded the following communities, Oko Olomi, Olowu Oko-Olomi, adeba (Jaguna) Itapampa Adeba (Onikonko), Oko-Ile, Oko Idioro, Idi Ope and Adeba with a large wide size of 1561 Hectares of land with different types of buildings with guns and other offensive weapons to demolish the houses of the residents in the area.

The residents who’s houses were demolished are: Miniru Salia, Raji Adisa, Kamol Agoro, Bariu Abuogunloko, Edward ‎Onwunle, Tolani Anifowoshe, Tajudeen Mojeed Eleku, Kufuli Babatunde, Waliu Alabi, Mohammed Quadiri, Ajoke Abiodun, Taiwo Agbaje, Adekanbi Ismail, Saheed Oloore, Kolawolw Oladele, Ayinde Dehinde, Elejo Alidu, Bofa Amusan, Adediran Samuel, Abiodun Rasheed and  Ayodeji Raheem.

Others are Alh Adekunle Openiyi, Bashiru Akeem, Agbaje Abeeb, Taiwo Agbaje, chief Dr. Fatai Moshood, Moshood, Adesanya, Benson Oyibo, Stephen Legend, Funke Eyiwunmi, Alhaja Ebudola, Isaac Emokpae‎, Bright Aiwekhae, Agbaje S. Taiwo, Alh Fatai Bello, lasis Saheed Akinola, Okpapi Dennis, Eniola Babatunde, Anthony Ololade, Baale Faliku Raji, Edward Onwunle, chief Wayidi Olajide Arepo, Chima Okpaleke and Lateef Eleku (Baale Okolomi).

The police also accused then of carting away properties worth millions of Naira.

The Owoeyes were alleged to have arrived ‎the above mention village with intent to intimidate and caused breach of peace on the said day by stealing a Pathfinder jeep valued N2.5million, one extra Jeep ash colour valued N3.5million, a Toyota Camry car ash colour valued N1million all properties of one Miniru Salia and also stole 150 cows.

Ganiyu was also alleged to have unlawfully attempted to kill one Saheed Oloore by shooting him.

The charge further stated that Ganiyu on October 14, 2016, at about 10. A.m at Oko Olomi in Ibeju Lekki Lagos unlawfully had in his possession three pump action guns with nos. 2856, 8976, 2598 and also a double barrel gun with two live cartridges that were recovered from him in his hotel.

The offences committed is punishable under sections 409, 56, 285, 348, 228 of the Criminal laws of Lagos 2011 and Sections ‎27 (1) (a) (i) of firearms Act, Cap F28, F28, of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to charge.

The counsel to the defendants Ayo Isaacs urged the court to grant his clients bail on libral term, citing Section 115 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, which states that the offences committed by the defendants are bailable offences.

He said that the defendants have been in detention in Abuja since Tuesday last week and were driven to Lagos by road.

The lawyer also said that the defendants brought development to the area which is now having issues and that they have properties worth N400 million, adding that there is nothing on the charge sheet that makes the offence a caiptal offence.

The prosecutor Superintendent Kehinde Oluwole opposed the bail condition on the grounds that the case is still under investigation.

In response the defence counsel said that the police ought to have concluded it’s investigation before charging the defendants to court.

While ruling on the bail application, the magistrate held that the prosecutions objection to bail is over ruled because the offences are bailable.

She therefore granted the defendants bail in the sum of N2million, with two responsible sureties, to produce evidence of substianial means of livelihood, blood relation, evidence of tax payment and addresses to be verified.

The case was adjourned till December 15, for commencement of trial