THE CAMPAIGN for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) has issued a strong condemnation of the Oba of Ijora, AbdulFatai Oyeyinka Aremu Aromire II, over what it describes as “extortionist and land-grabbing activities” carried out by his agents in the Ajegunle area of Lagos State.
In a press statement released on Friday, the advocacy group detailed a pattern of violent invasions targeting approximately 29 houses in the community, allegedly orchestrated by the royal family. The attacks, which reportedly caused hundreds of millions of Naira in damage, have led to the forceful displacement of numerous residents.
According to the CDWR, the invasions are executed by armed thugs who forcefully enter properties, attack occupants—including both landlords and tenants—and inflict significant destruction by removing roofs and demolishing doors and windows. The group claims these actions are intended to terrorize residents into abandoning their homes, allowing the Ojora royal family to seize and subsequently resell the properties.
The Oba’s media office, Circle Connect, has reportedly defended the actions, stating that the targeted properties are on leasehold land and that the occupants failed to renew their leases, thus forfeiting their rights. However, the CDWR counters this claim, asserting that many property owners purchased their land outright from the royal family or other landowners and were never under any lease agreement. The group has labeled the annual property fee imposed by the royal family on Ajegunle residents as “illegal and extortionist.”
The statement also criticizes the response from local authorities. While the Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Chairman, Mr. Olalekan Olu Akindipe, acknowledged the dispute, his office stated that land matters fall outside its purview and are the mandate of the state government and judiciary. The local government said it intervened only by instructing the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to “halt the activities and maintain peace and order.”
The CDWR argues that this response is inadequate, implying tacit support for the monarch’s actions. The group questions why no arrests have been made despite the prolonged and destructive nature of the invasions, which occurred near local police stations.
“Assuming without conceding that Oba AbdulFatai Aromire has any claim to the property, what is the justification for the attack on people, wanton destruction of property and displacement of people without a court order and due process of law?” the statement read. It further described the evictions as “illegal, unlawful, criminal, ultra vires, wicked and uncivil.”
The CDWR is demanding an immediate end to the attacks, adequate compensation for the victims, and the arrest and prosecution of both the perpetrators and their sponsors. The group also called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and other civil society organizations to intervene legally to protect the residents of Ajegunle from further harassment and displacement.
Efforts to get an immediate response from the palace of the Oba of Ijora or the Lagos State Government were not successful at the time of this reporting.
