The Oba of Ketu in the Kosofe Local Government area of Lagos State, Isiaka Oyero, has faulted the construction of a palace on a disputed parcel of land housing the Nigerian Postal Service in the community, alleging that the project is being carried out in violation of an ongoing court case.
Oyero, while addressing the press in his palace on Saturday, alongside his lawyer, Ayo Odekunle, accused his counterpart, the Oba of Ikosi, Alamu Oloyede Onikosi, and the Chairperson of the Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area, Samiat Bada, of encroaching on the land and proceeding with the construction of a palace despite pending litigation.
Oba Onikosi and Bada, however, denied the allegations during an interview with NGGOSSIPS Metro on Sunday, saying the project was lawful.
During the briefing, Oba Oyero said the one-acre land in dispute was donated to the Nigeria Postal Service in 1980 by the Balogun Oyero family for the construction of a post office.
The monarch alleged that parts of the land had been encroached on over the years without compensation, with structures such as an administrative building, public toilets, shops and parking spaces erected on it.
He said, “The said piece of land is a 1-acre piece of land gifted to the Nigeria Postal Service as far back as 1980 by my Balogun Oyero land-owning family to construct the Ketu Post Office for public utility. It is a notorious fact that my forefather, Balogun Oyero, was the progenitor/founder of the Ketu Kosofe community around 1880, and he was the owner of the large expanse of land covering the whole of the Ketu Kosofe kingdom and its environs (as confirmed by various Supreme Court judgements of 1905, 1910 and 1911, respectively), the part of which is the subject matter land upon which the Ketu Post Office is built.
“Though there are remaining portions of the land left for future use by the Nigerian Postal Service, the portions were protected by a perimeter fence. Over time, Ikosi Isheri LCDA, under the chairmanship of Samiat Abolanle Bada, trespassed on the portions of the land, sometimes in the year 2019, upon which the administrative building of Ikosi Isheri LCDA, public toilets, shops and parking lots were built without paying any compensation to my land-owning Balogun Oyero family, being the original owner.”
He added that the dispute escalated in 2022 when attempts were allegedly made to take over the remaining portion of the land, prompting a court case involving the parties.
Oyero further alleged that despite the case being pending in court, eviction notices were issued to occupants and construction work commenced on the land.
He claimed that bulldozers were deployed to demolish existing structures, including a perimeter fence erected by the Nigeria Postal Service, to pave the way for the project.
“Though my Balogun Oyero family members, staff members of the Nigeria Postal Service and other concerned members of the public attempted to challenge and stop the illegal, unlawful and contemptuous construction works on the lis pendens land, I used wisdom and maturity to stop and discourage my people from doing so because a fracas may ensue from the confrontation,” he added.
Describing the development as a breach of due process, Oyero warned that it could trigger communal unrest if not urgently addressed.
“It is a trite position of law that when a matter is pending in court, all parties must not tamper with the subject of litigation,” he said.
He added that a complaint had been lodged with the police, noting that although some workers were initially arrested, they were later released and construction resumed.
The monarch said his family had filed an application for an interlocutory injunction to halt further work on the land. “These acts are nothing short of contempt of court and impunities of the highest order,” he added.
The youth leader in the community, Muritala Balogun, accused the council of taking sides with the Onikosi.
“What is happening now is the creation of a problem because this matter is in court, and the council authority is a tier of government, so if a matter is in court, why will a local government authority interfere and turn things around when evidence and documents to back it up are glaring? There was a time the Oba of Ketu and the Oba of Ikosi were called to settle this matter if required,” he said.
The Head of Legal of NIPOST in Lagos, Patience Onoabhagbe, said the case was initiated in court by the agency after the workers were allegedly dislodged from the property.
“What we want the government to do in this matter is to stop them from coming here again, and anything they erect there should be demolished.”
When contacted on Saturday, the council boss denied the allegations while also referring our correspondent to the Onikosi for more information on the matter.
In his reaction, Oba Onikosi said he, alongside community leaders, including Olaolu Taiwo and Jimoh Edun, engaged the late former Lagos State Governor, Lateef Jakande, to secure the land for a community market in the area.
He explained that a committee was subsequently set up to address the issue, adding that the Lagos State government required a formal application, which was duly submitted and acknowledged.
He said, “Jakande later revisited the site and ordered that all illegal excavation activities be stopped. He also asked whether we could fund the project ourselves since the government did not have the resources at the time.
“Despite the difficult terrain and high cost of land reclamation, his family undertook the development, hiring contractors and securing necessary documentation, including survey plans and receipts.”
The monarch added that the survey was submitted to the government, which incorporated it into its master plan and issued an official layout that included public facilities such as the Ikosi Health Centre and an Arabic school.
Onikosi further revealed that following approvals, his father commenced the development of the market, which quickly grew into a thriving commercial hub attracting traders daily.
“Multiple certificates were later issued on the land, including those bearing the old Lagos State Secretariat logo and subsequent ones after the relocation to Alausa, as well as a Federal Government document. My family later facilitated the establishment of a health centre; a customary court later relocated to Isheri; a post office; and a police post.”
Onikosi disclosed that the dispute led to his invitation by the Lagos State House of Assembly, where he submitted relevant documents to back his claims.
He also denied allegations of inciting unrest and expressed concern over a recent notice allegedly giving occupants 24 hours to vacate the market.
The monarch also revealed that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was the one who proposed the construction of a palace on the land during his visit to dedicate a project in the community.
He maintained that historical records, documented transactions, and government-issued approvals remain clear evidence of his family’s role as original developers and stakeholders of the land, adding that ongoing disputes are being addressed through legal channels.
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