Men of the Lagos State Taskforce have apprehended Saheed Abdulahi, a notorious land grabber, popularly known as ‘Ibile’, who operates in the Ibeju-Lekki and Epe axis of the state.
The taskforce, led by its chairman, CSP Shola Jejeloye, made the arrest in the early hours of Saturday following a series of complaints and petitions written to police authorities by residents, communities, and landowners about Ibile’s high degree of bestiality and crude manner of operation when trying to dislodge legal occupants from their legitimate property.
Addressing journalists at the headquarters of the taskforce, Jejeloye described Ibile as a repugnant entity not worthy of being in the real estate business, talking more about evicting property owners unlawfully from their hard-earned landed property.
“He is well known for this type of criminal activity, and he has been doing it for quite a while, but luck ran out on him on July 8, 2023, when he swooped in on a certain portion of land in the Oke-Ogun area of Epe with some armed thugs in order to dislodge workers who were carrying out construction works on the land.
“He rounded up everyone present and dehumanised them by blindfolding them and stripping them naked just to cow them into fear and submission.” Jejeloye stated
The Lagos Taskforce chairman further revealed that after stripping the workers naked, Ibile loaded them on a bus and drove them down to an undisclosed location, where he further subjected them to more barbaric treatment not fit for print.
“It is quite appalling that with the level of development and enlightenment in a metropolis like this, we still have people like Ibile who feel they can take laws into their own hands by unlawfully arresting people, torturing them, and then taking over their land. It is preposterous and unbelieveable. We took it upon ourselves to get to the root of this matter and have arrested the main culprit who orchestrated the whole exercise. Going by his utterances, he believes he can bribe his way out of every situation, but this time around, he will be prosecuted and made to answer for his crimes.” Jejeloye said
Assuring residents and workers in Lagos state who were made to go through such a cruel experience, the chairman said the taskforce would leave no stone unturned till all other culprits who were involved in the activity of July 8 are rounded up and made to answer for their heinous crimes.
He sounded a note of warning to all grabbers or intending land grabbers in the state to either relocate from the metropolis or turn over a new leaf. Defying such warnings means risks of being prosecuted.
“The days of every land grabber are numbered, and I appeal to all Lagosians experiencing any activity that has the semblance of land grabbing in their vincinity to report such to the agency. Together, we will stamp out this menace of land grabbing in Lagos”. He concluded.
Meanwhile, the suspect has been charged in court, and the court has ruled that he be remanded at Badagry Correctional Centre until he meets his bail conditions.
