CFL Group Gives Lagos Land Registry Seven Days to Resolve Title Dispute

The Group Managing Director of CFL Group of Companies, Lai Omotola, has given the Lagos State Land Registry a seven-day ultimatum to address what he described as alleged falsification and manipulation of land documents, warning that affected property owners could seek N5 billion in damages through the courts.

Omotola issued the ultimatum during a press conference in Lagos on Thursday, where he raised concerns over what he described as a sophisticated form of land fraud known as “Land Title Laundry.”

According to him, the alleged practice involves cloning, manipulating and introducing fraudulent land documents into official records to create seemingly legitimate ownership titles over valuable properties.

He said the practice was particularly concerning in high-value areas such as Ikoyi and Victoria Island, where land and property prices are significantly higher.

Omotola alleged that the manipulation of land titles had continued in Lagos for years and that several financial institutions had allegedly accepted fraudulent Certificates of Occupancy as collateral for loans.

He said some banks only discovered the alleged irregularities after borrowers defaulted on the loans secured with the disputed properties.

The CFL Group boss recalled that during the administration of former Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, the state government demolished a market opposite the Government House where, according to him, forged Certificates of Occupancy were allegedly being produced.

He, however, said the alleged practice had since become more sophisticated because of the financial interests involved and the alleged participation of individuals within and outside government.

How alleged land title manipulation works

Omotola alleged that the process typically begins with the identification of abandoned or disputed properties in prime locations such as Ikoyi and Victoria Island.

He said speculators could allegedly identify the name of a deceased prominent individual and use the identity to construct a fictitious chain of ownership for a property.

According to him, forged land certificates could then be produced, sometimes with dates going back several decades, before being introduced into the official land registry system.

Omotola alleged that once such documents were entered into the registry, they could appear to be genuine official records.

He further alleged that perpetrators could subsequently declare the supposed original document lost, obtain a police affidavit and use it to process a Governor’s Consent.

He said this could create the appearance that the property had been legitimately transferred to a new owner.

Omotola stressed that a Certificate of Occupancy and a Governor’s Consent are not the same document.

He explained that a Certificate of Occupancy represents the government’s grant of a title to land, while a Governor’s Consent is the approval given by the Governor for a transaction involving an existing interest in land.

He said obtaining a Governor’s Consent did not necessarily correct defects in the underlying title.

According to him, where an investigation subsequently establishes that the underlying documents were forged or obtained through misrepresentation, the consent could be cancelled.

Victoria Island property dispute

Omotola said his concerns were also based on a dispute involving a property at 24 Adeola Odeku Street, Victoria Island, which he said was purchased by his company.

He said CFL Group acquired the property and began construction before another company allegedly arrived with police officers and sealed the premises.

The other party allegedly claimed ownership based on a Governor’s Consent.

Omotola said the opposing party claimed that the original owner of the property was Samuel Oladele Ige, who allegedly sold it to the late Alhaji Ganiyu Amusan, the father of businessman Tayo Amusan.

He said CFL Group investigated the alleged ownership history and contacted members of Samuel Ige’s family.

According to Omotola, the family said Samuel Ige died in 2012, making it impossible for him to have personally sold the property in 2015.

He also said the family told the company that Ige’s will contained no indication that he owned the property at 24 Adeola Odeku Street.

Omotola said further investigations into the claim involving Alhaji Ganiyu Amusan also raised questions because Amusan died in 1994.

He argued that this meant Amusan could not have personally purchased the property in 2015, as allegedly stated in the disputed ownership history.

Disputed affidavit and registry records

Omotola said investigators also found a police affidavit allegedly sworn by Samuel Ige in 2015 declaring that his original land certificate had been lost.

He said Ige’s first son, Niyi, disputed the authenticity of the document, alleging that the photograph and signature appearing on the affidavit did not belong to his late father.

He further alleged that a letter of objection purportedly written by Samuel Ige before the Governor’s Consent was issued was received by the Land Registry on September 1, 2015.

Omotola said this raised further questions because Ige had died three years earlier.

According to him, the Ige family subsequently petitioned the Land Registry over the disputed documents.

He said the registry found sufficient merit in the complaint to invite beneficiaries of the disputed Governor’s Consent to proceedings that could result in the deregistration of the consent.

Omotola alleged that the beneficiaries failed to appear on two occasions.

He further alleged that construction continued on the property while the beneficiaries relied on security agencies.

Landowners demand correction of records

Omotola said the affected landowners were demanding that the disputed Governor’s Consent be deregistered and that the land records be corrected to reflect what they described as the legitimate ownership of the property.

He warned that if the Lagos State Land Registry failed to take action within seven days, the affected parties would approach the courts.

The proposed legal action, according to Omotola, would include a claim for N5 billion in damages.

He insisted that the affected landowners were not beneficiaries of any corruption within the land administration system.

Rather, he said they were seeking protection for properties they had legitimately acquired and accountability in the management of land records.

Omotola called on the Lagos State Government to investigate the alleged manipulation of land documents and strengthen the state’s land registry system.

He said stronger safeguards were needed to prevent fraudulent titles from being introduced into official records and subsequently used in property transactions and financial dealings.

The allegations made by Omotola concern specific property ownership and land documentation and remain matters for the relevant authorities and, if pursued, the courts to determine.

The post Lagos Land Title Dispute: CFL Group Gives Lagos Land Registry Seven Days to Resolve Title Dispute appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

Prince Yussuf Olanrewaju Olarinde of the Olarinde Royal Family in New Oguntedo Village, Satellite Town, Lagos, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over a long-running land dispute.

Olarinde alleged threats to his life, land grabbing and abuse of police powers in the community.

Prince Alleges Police Complicity

In his petition, Olarinde accused some officers of the Lagos State Police Command of failing to act fairly in the dispute.

He alleged that some officers supported people involved in attempts to take control of properties linked to the Olarinde Royal Family.

The prince said the dispute goes beyond a civil disagreement. He alleged violent invasions, attempted killings, demolitions, property destruction and intimidation.

Olarinde described the situation as an attempt to dispossess the royal family of its ancestral properties.

History of the Oguntedo Land Dispute

According to Olarinde, the Federal Military Government created and allocated New Oguntedo Village to the Olarinde Royal Family around 1978.

He said the allocation followed government acquisition and resettlement exercises at the time.

Olarinde also referred to a judgment of the High Court of Lagos State in Suit No. ID/94/88. The court delivered the judgment on July 14, 1989.

READ ALSO : MBF Rejects Middle Belt Ranching Plan, Warns Over Land Allocation

He said the judgment affirmed the family’s ownership and possessory rights over the disputed land and properties.

The prince added that the family later obtained enforcement documents. These included Form O and warrants of possession dated January 3, 1997 and August 16, 2010.

Allegations of Land Grabbing

Despite the court judgment and subsequent enforcement processes, Olarinde alleged that some individuals and companies continued to claim the disputed properties.

He also alleged that armed thugs took part in efforts to remove members of the royal family from some properties.

According to the petition, some police officers provided protection for people involved in the disputed activities.

Olarinde further alleged that officers intimidated family members and prevented some lawful occupants from gaining access to their properties.

He accused the officers of failing to respond properly to reports of attacks.

Property Demolitions and Criminal Allegations

The petitioner also raised concerns about alleged property demolitions and unlawful occupation.

He claimed that some family properties were demolished or taken over during the dispute.

Olarinde also alleged that people took vehicles, building materials, cash, personal belongings and commercial assets belonging to members of the family.

He further claimed that some members of the royal family faced criminal allegations that he considered fabricated.

The prince described some of the resulting prosecutions as malicious.

Appeal for Police Intervention

Olarinde accused some police officers of ignoring complaints filed at Satellite Police Station and Area E Command.

He said family members had also faced difficulties when seeking police protection and intervention.

The prince warned that continued inaction could increase tension in Oguntedo Village, Satellite Town and nearby communities.

He therefore urged the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the allegations and intervene before the dispute leads to further violence or loss of life.

Olarinde said the Olarinde family would continue to pursue legal remedies.

Implications for Lagos Real Estate

The dispute also highlights the importance of secure land ownership in Lagos.

Land disputes can create uncertainty for property owners, developers and investors. They can also delay construction projects and affect confidence in the real estate market.

Clear land records, proper title documentation and effective enforcement of court decisions remain important to orderly urban development.

The allegations in the petition have not been independently established. They represent the claims of Olarinde and the Olarinde Royal Family and require investigation and responses from the police and other parties involved.

The wider significance of the case lies in the need for fair land administration and effective dispute resolution. These remain important to housing development, property investment and urban growth in Lagos.

The post Oguntedo Land Crisis: Lagos Prince Petitions IG Over Threats appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

The Lagos State Government has arraigned Olusola Shedrach before the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja over allegations of forceful property takeover and destruction.

Shedrach appeared before Justice Hakeem Oshodi on a three-count charge filed by the state, including land grabbing, willful damage, and conduct likely to breach public peace.

According to the prosecution, Shedrach forcefully took possession of a church property belonging to Harvesters Church along the Gbagada–Oworonshoki Expressway, an offense under Section 2(1) of the Lagos State Properties Protection Law, 2016.

He was further accused of wilfully damaging property on the site, violating Section 350 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and conduct likely to breach public peace under Section 168(d) of the same law.

At the hearing, state prosecutor Mrs. Olufunmilayo Aluko requested the court to take the defendant’s plea, which Shedrach pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Defence counsel Mr. O. Odueso requested a short adjournment to file a bail application, which was granted. Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter to April 22, 2026, for the bail hearing, while the trial is scheduled for June 17, 2027.

The post Lagos Man Arraigned for Land Grabbing and Property Damage in Ikeja Court appeared first on Housing TV Africa.