Ayotunde Atiroko, 55, was arraigned before the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court in Lagos on Thursday, 9 July 2026, over allegations that he unlawfully reclaimed a two-acre parcel of land in the Abodo Poika area of Epe years after selling it to Adepeju Arinto.
According to the prosecution, the disputed property measures 6,796.283 square metres, equivalent to two acres.
Also read: Searching citizens’ phones without a warrant Is unlawful, police warn officers
Police alleged that Arinto purchased the land from Atiroko several years ago but encountered resistance when she mobilised workers to begin development in June 2026.
Prosecutors told the court that Arinto discovered the perimeter fence and gate she had erected had been demolished and replaced with new structures.
The property was also allegedly occupied by suspected hoodlums armed with dangerous weapons, who warned her not to return and claimed the land no longer belonged to her.
Fearing for her safety, Arinto petitioned Assistant Inspector-General of Police Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, who heads the Zone 2 Police Command.
The petition prompted the deployment of a special team of detectives to investigate the allegations and identify those responsible.
Police said operatives tracked Atiroko to his residence in Badore, Ajah, and arrested him, while efforts are continuing to apprehend other suspects who remain at large.
Following investigations led by Inspector Taiwo Abass and his team, the defendant was charged with four offences bordering on forcible entry, encroachment and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.
Prosecuting counsel, Superintendent of Police Reuben Solomon, alleged that the offences were committed between 2017 and June 2026.
Solomon told the court that Atiroko unlawfully repossessed the property by destroying the complainant’s fence and gate, erecting new structures without her consent and deploying armed hoodlums to prevent her from accessing the land.
The prosecution argued that the alleged actions were motivated by greed and contravened Sections 411, 52, 350 and 168(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Atiroko pleaded not guilty to all four charges.
Presiding Magistrate T.A. Abayomi granted the defendant bail in the sum of ₦150,000 with two sureties in like sum. The court, however, ordered that Atiroko be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions before adjourning the case for mention.
Land ownership disputes remain one of the most persistent sources of civil and criminal litigation in Lagos, particularly in rapidly developing areas such as Epe, where rising property values have contributed to an increase in competing ownership claims.
Also read: Searching citizens’ phones without a warrant Is unlawful, police warn officers
Law enforcement agencies have repeatedly warned individuals against self-help in resolving land disagreements, urging parties to seek redress through the courts instead.
Mariam Balogun is a contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
