Lagos arraigns suspected notorious land grabbing kingpin

A day after the Lagos State Government arrested a suspected notorious land grabber, Chief Kamorudeen Lamina, he has been arraigned before a Special Offences Court sitting in Oshodi over alleged forceful dispossession of residents from their legitimate rights to land ownership.

Lamina, popularly known as Sir K, was arraigned alongside six others on a six-count charge by the Special Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force set up by Governor Ambode’s administration. Lamina and his gang were said to have been terrorising the people of Ikorodu for some time before he was arrested on Thursday. Others arraigned alongside him are Omotola Ogunsanmi, Samson Shobule (alias Samson Salau), Biliaminu Orega (alias Biliaminu Salau), Jimoh Aromasodu, Wasiu Orenuga and Alhaji Nurudeen Kasali.

In counts one and two, Lamina, sometime in February 2017 in Mowo Kekere area of Ikorodu Local Government, allegedly took over one plot of land forcefully which was sold to one Ebere Okafor by Ifegbuwa family. In count three, Lamina was accused of forcefully taking over and remaining in possession of 200 plots of land in Mowo Kekere belonging to Planet Properties Ltd contrary to Section 2 (2) of the same law, while in count five, the defendants were said to have fraudulently sold 60 hectares of land which had been previously sold by the rightful owner. In count six, the defendants were accused of fraudulent selling 25 hectares of land to third parties without any lawful right to do so.

They all pleaded not guilty, while their lawyers applied to the court to grant them bail in most liberal terms. The prosecutor, Mosunmola Balogun, did not oppose the bail but urged the court to impose conditions which would make the defendants available for trial

In his ruling, Magistrate Lateef Owolabi granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N1million and two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must be a land owner in Lagos, while the other must be a civil servant not below grade level 15. The sureties must have three years tax clearance and registration with Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA).

The Magistrate also ordered the defendants to deposit N150, 000 each with the court, while they are to be remanded in Badagry Prison pending when they are able to meet the bail conditions. The matter has been adjourned to July 13.