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.

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Severe flooding swept through several communities in Lagos State on Tuesday after hours of heavy rainfall submerged homes, inundated major roads and disrupted electricity supply in parts of the state.

Residents in areas including FESTAC, Gbagada, Ajah, Ikeja, Evans, Olushi, Anikantamo and Adeniji Adele were left stranded as floodwaters overwhelmed drainage systems, forcing commuters to wade through waterlogged streets while motorists struggled to navigate submerged roads.

Videos circulating on social media showed residents moving through flooded streets, with some roads rendered impassable by rising water levels.

In Ikeja, floodwaters reportedly entered homes and business premises, prompting some residents to temporarily relocate for safety. Residents blamed the recurring flooding on blocked drainage channels, poor road design and indiscriminate refuse disposal.

A resident, Abidemi Raji, alleged that a drainage channel linking parts of the community had been obstructed following nearby construction activities, worsening the flooding situation.

The downpour also affected FESTAC in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area, where roads and inner streets were submerged, disrupting movement and economic activities.

The flooding triggered electricity outages in several communities after floodwaters affected facilities at the Oworo 132/33kV Transmission Station. In a public notice, Ikeja Electric said severe flooding damaged two power transformers and several 33kV feeders, disrupting supply to areas including Bariga, Gbagada, Oworo, Pedro, Alapere, Agboyi and surrounding communities.

The company said it was working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria to restore power as soon as repairs were completed.

The impact of the heavy rainfall extended into neighbouring Ogun State, where residents of Gloryland Estate in Ibafo appealed for urgent government intervention, saying annual flooding had damaged buildings, disrupted transportation and exposed residents to health risks.

Reacting to the development, Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, described the rainfall as an extreme weather event that temporarily overwhelmed existing drainage infrastructure.

He disclosed that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had approved the dredging of 28 additional primary drainage channels across the state as part of measures to improve flood control and reduce the impact of future downpours.

Wahab noted that Lagos’ coastal geography, characterised by lagoons, rivers and tidal water bodies, often slows the discharge of stormwater into the sea during high tides, making temporary flooding likely during periods of intense rainfall.

He urged residents to refrain from dumping refuse into drainage channels, avoid illegal reclamation of wetlands and comply with environmental regulations designed to reduce flooding.

The commissioner also advised motorists to stay away from flooded roads during heavy rainfall and urged residents in vulnerable communities to adhere to weather advisories and safety guidelines issued by relevant authorities.

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Lagos State has sealed Balmoral Convention Centre in Victoria Island and Foodies Restaurant in Lekki Phase 1 over improper wastewater disposal into public drains, intensifying enforcement against environmental violations across the state.

The announcement was made on Wednesday by the Commissioner for the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, through his official X account.

The enforcement followed investigations which revealed that both establishments discharged untreated wastewater into drainage systems, causing pollution, foul odour, and public health concerns despite previous warnings.

According to Wahab, the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO) shut Balmoral Convention Centre after authorities discovered raw sewage was being pumped directly into public drains, alongside wastewater overflow from a blocked sewage chamber.

The agency said the violations created severe environmental pollution, drainage contamination, and persistent public nuisance in the area.

“Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO) on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, sealed off Balmoral Convention Centre, Victoria Island over indiscriminate discharge of raw sewage into the public drain via the use of a pumping machine and unattended wastewater spillage from a blocked sewage chamber causing public nuisance and foul smell,” he stated.

Foodies Restaurant, located at Admiralty Way in Lekki Phase 1, was also sealed for discharging untreated wastewater containing fats and oils into public drains.

The agency noted that the restaurant’s actions contributed to blocked drainage channels, environmental pollution, and repeated nuisance despite earlier compliance warnings.

The development is part of a broader enforcement drive by Lagos authorities against residential and commercial properties violating wastewater management regulations.

In January 2026, the state sealed a residential estate on Ladipo Omotesho Street, Lekki Phase 1, over environmental nuisance and obstruction of enforcement officials.

Similarly, in September 2025, EMCEL Court Phase I and Well Stock Apartments in Ikota GRA, Eti-Osa, were shut for illegal wastewater discharge.

In April 2026, Viva Bella Court II in Lekki Peninsula was sealed for deliberate release of untreated wastewater and septic tank spillage into public drains.

Lagos State recently resumed its monthly environmental sanitation exercise on April 25, 2026, as part of efforts to maintain environmental cleanliness and reduce flooding risks.

The exercise is backed by enforcement measures to ensure compliance, with penalties including fines and up to three months imprisonment for illegal dumping and littering.

The renewed sanitation drive, alongside stricter wastewater enforcement, underscores the state government’s commitment to strengthening environmental governance and improving public health outcomes.

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Lagos has kept its crown as Nigeria’s luxury property hub. A new report by Diya Fatimilehin & Co. shows that Eko Atlantic, Old Ikoyi, Banana Island, and Victoria Island remain the country’s most expensive residential areas.

In Ikoyi, a four-bedroom apartment now sells for about ₦1.5 billion, highlighting strong demand in the city’s upscale enclaves.

The report also points to Ogun and Oyo as emerging alternatives. With lower entry costs and better infrastructure, areas such as Alalubosa and Iyaganku GRAs in Ibadan, and Laderin Estate in Abeokuta, are gaining traction. Annual rents in these estates reach up to ₦3 million.

Infrastructure projects are driving this shift. The Lagos Blue and Red Line metro rails, the expanded Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, and the planned Fourth Mainland Bridge and Lekki International Airport are opening new growth corridors.

Beyond Lagos, housing demand is rising in regions like the North-West and South-South. Cities such as Kano, Kaduna, and Sokoto are seeing opportunities from industrial growth and agriculture. Despite security challenges, established districts like Barnawa in Kaduna and Nasarawa GRA in Kano remain resilient.

In the South-South, urban renewal and major road projects are reshaping Uyo, Asaba, Port Harcourt, and Benin City. A 169-room Radisson Hotel nearing completion in Benin highlights renewed investor confidence.

The report concludes that Nigeria’s housing market is evolving. From Lagos’ dominance to new frontiers in emerging cities, urbanisation, reforms, and infrastructure continue to shape where Nigerians live and invest.

Source: Punch

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An ongoing six-storey construction project at 28, Saka Tinubu Street, Victoria Island, is facing possible closure after the Lagos State Safety Commission uncovered multiple safety breaches. The structure, which residents say has endangered lives and damaged nearby properties, may be sealed if urgent corrections are not made.

Residents in adjoining buildings complained of falling planks, pebbles, and other debris from the site, which they claim have damaged cars, windows, and walls. They also accused the developers of failing to install safety nets, barricades, or protective structures, raising fears of potential injuries or even fatalities.

The building, reportedly linked to a prominent South-West traditional ruler, has drawn public concern following a ‘Save Our Soul’ petition submitted by affected neighbors.

According to Adewunmi Okoh, Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the Lagos State Safety Commission, the site lacks compliance approval and falls short of basic safety standards. “There are no net protections, no barriers against falling objects, and no signage in or around the site. The general housekeeping is also very poor, with no safety measures for workers,” Okoh said.

She confirmed that an abatement notice was issued, giving contractors 48 hours to respond, warning that the building will be sealed if the violations are not rectified.

The Punch.

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Residents and business owners around a construction site at 28 Saka Tinubu Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, have called on the state government to urgently address what they describe as a growing threat to lives and property from an ongoing multi-storey development.

The project, being undertaken by Diplomat Homes Limited, has come under criticism from occupants of nearby buildings, who allege that it violates basic safety standards. They claimed that the absence of standard protective measures such as barricades, safety nets, and shields has exposed them to constant danger.

According to the residents, falling planks, stones, and other materials from the site have damaged vehicles, walls, windows, and ceilings in adjoining properties. “It is only by God’s grace that no one has been hit so far,” one of the affected occupants said, expressing worry that the negligence could eventually lead to a fatal accident if left unchecked.

They also alleged that the developers, said to be linked to a prominent traditional ruler in the South West, have ignored repeated complaints about the safety hazards. Beyond the damage already recorded, residents stressed that the looming risk of serious injury makes immediate government intervention critical.

The group faulted the silence of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and the Ministry of Environment. They urged Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab and other relevant authorities to enforce compliance before the project escalates into a major tragedy.

“We are appealing for urgent action to ensure the right safety standards are put in place,” another resident said, adding that government oversight remains the only safeguard against further losses.

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