Fresh controversy has erupted in Oworonshoki, Lagos, as displaced residents have accused the traditional ruler of the community, Oba Babatunde Saliu, of allegedly collaborating with a private developer to take over lands where homes were recently demolished, triggering outrage among victims who say they are being erased without justice, compensation, or accountability.
The affected residents alleged that the monarch is working with Olumide Osunsina, owner of Megamound Real Estate Development Company, to fence off the demolished properties and begin construction, despite ongoing complaints and demands for investigation into the demolition exercise that displaced thousands of families.
Victims who spoke described the development as a calculated attempt to permanently dispossess them of their ancestral homes and livelihoods, accusing powerful political actors of backing the move while ignoring the suffering of displaced residents now struggling to survive.
According to them, construction materials have already begun appearing on the disputed lands, while fencing activities reportedly commenced, raising fears that the land grab is being fast-tracked before any government intervention or investigation can take place.
Residents also accused Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of maintaining what they described as a “suspicious silence” over the matter, alleging that his inaction signals approval of the demolition and subsequent land takeover.
They further alleged that the Lagos State House of Assembly representative for the area, Ganiyu Okanlawon, has also remained silent despite growing public outcry, a development they claim suggests political complicity.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu has remained silent on this issue. That silence shows that he and the House of Assembly representative, Ganiyu Okanlawon, are all accomplices to the heinous crime committed against us in Oworonshoki,” one of the displaced residents told reporters.
The victims insisted that no construction should take place on the disputed land until a full investigation is conducted to determine those responsible for the demolition and to ensure adequate compensation for all affected families.
“We demand that no construction development should be carried out on our lands until we know exactly who carried out the illegal demolition and proper compensation is made to the victims,” the residents said.
The allegations against the Oworonshoki monarch come amid previous accusations of intimidation and threats against activists speaking against the demolition.
On September 16, reports emerged accusing Oba Babatunde Saliu of mobilising suspected thugs to intimidate Opeyemi Ogunlami, Coordinator of the Take-It-Back Movement in Kosofe, following the group’s condemnation of the demolition exercise.
Ogunlami, in a statement shared on his social media page, alleged that the monarch had been consulting his loyalists to unleash violence against him and members of his movement for speaking against the demolition and alleged land grabbing.
According to Ogunlami, three masked men believed to be acting on the orders of the monarch stormed his office on a Friday evening but left after discovering he was absent.
“A neighbour on the street who saw them informed me and warned me to be careful,” Ogunlami stated, describing the incident as an attempt to silence voices demanding accountability.
He emphasized that the Take-It-Back Movement consists of peaceful and law-abiding citizens committed to exposing illegalities and defending vulnerable communities against abuse of power.
“We will not keep quiet over any illegality around us. It is part of our civic responsibility to speak up at the site of illegalities,” he declared.
Ogunlami further warned that should anything happen to him, his family, or members of his organisation, the monarch should be held responsible.
“If any attack happens to me, my family and those working with me, the Oba of Oworo, Babatunde Saliu, shall be held responsible,” he warned.
The tension is believed to be linked to the Take-It-Back Movement’s strong condemnation of the Lagos State Government over what it described as the violent repression of Oworonshoki residents who protested the demolition of their homes.
The group had described the demolition as cruel, unjust, and targeted at poor and working-class families, accusing authorities of displacing thousands under the guise of urban development projects that benefit private interests at the expense of vulnerable communities.
With fencing now reportedly underway and construction looming, displaced residents say they fear permanent displacement, homelessness, and loss of generational property, while calling on civil society organisations, human rights groups, and the federal government to urgently intervene before the situation escalates further.
For many residents, the issue has now moved beyond demolition to what they describe as a coordinated land grabbing operation backed by powerful political and traditional authorities — a development they warn could set a dangerous precedent for forced displacement across Lagos State.