Principal members of the late Jimoh Ejigbadero family of Alimosho, Lagos State, Abiodun Ejigbadero and Tajudeen Ejigbadero have written to Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, to debunk allegations made against them by some rights groups in an alleged petition to him.
The groups had claimed the Ejigbaderos were disturbing the peace of Alimosho and that they were land grabbers.
But, in a letter by their solicitor, Adekunle Funmilayo, to Senate president and copied to chairman of Senate Committee on Public Petitions and Human Rights, and inspector general of Police, the Ejigbaderos denied the allegations.
They said the allegations were part of a campaign of calumny and character assassination against them by those in dispute with them over land.
Funmilayo wrote: “Our clients have never been involved in criminal activities, never been charged to court and are law-abiding citizens engaged in legitimate business within the ambit of Nigerian law.
“Our clients’ late father purchased a large expanse of land at Alimosho via a Registered Deed of Conveyance dated December 18, 1974, at Page 53 in Vol. 1478 at Lands Registry, Ikeja, Lagos.
“The survey of the land measuring 1060 drawn by J. O. Ogunsanya is attached to the deed.
“The Akapo/Olubunmi Family sold to the Late Ejigbadero and their attorneys executed the deed. See the Power of Attorney dated June 2, 1970. Although he died in controversial circumstances, none of his properties was confiscated by the government.
“The late Ejigbadero’s properties were duly inherited by his children among who are our clients who have taken so many trespassers to court and got judgments in their favour.
“We make reference to the following judgments: ID/1533/96, ID/505M/2009, ID/779/2010, ID/755/2013, ID/3526LMW/2016 and so other judicial decisions, which shall be made available in Certified True Copies whenever called upon to do so sir.
“The title of the Ejigbadero family was confirmed in those judgments and in fact, the Akapo/Olubunmi family is involved in litigations in ID/14277MFHR/2022 against our clients in a matter pending at Ikeja High Court, Lagos State.
“There is no truth in the wild allegations of violence levelled against our clients and those who have lost to our clients in court are busy orchestrating wicked lies to whip up public sentiments against our clients who are law-abiding.”
The lawyer urged the public to discountenance the allegations against Alhaji Ejigbadero and members of the Ejigbadero family who he said are responsible, law-abiding and decent businessmen.
“The callous, fictitious petition writers are out to tarnish their image for no crime other than inheriting their late father’s properties in Alimosho, Lagos State,” Funmilayo said.