Members of the Musediku family have alleged that a prolonged land dispute in Okegaade community, Ibeju-Lekki Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, has resulted in multiple killings, enforced displacement, destruction of property and alleged police complicity spanning more than two decades.
In an interview with The Nation, Baale of Okunlaibo Okegaade town, Adesanya Musediku, said the crisis began in 2003 following the death of their father, Musediku, a descendant of the Tuyole chieftaincy family and custodian of vast ancestral land in the area.
According to him, trouble started when extended family members moved to partition the land and allegedly sought to exclude female descendants from inheritance.
“After our father died in 2003, family members began coming to our house for meetings. They said the land he left behind should be shared. They brought surveyors and said the land should be divided among the roots of the family That was how the issue started.
“Some people told me that women should not benefit from the land and that they should go to their husbands’ houses. I told them clearly that a female child is still a child and that I could not support anything that excluded them. From that point, there was serious tension,” Adesanya said.
Adesanya alleged that the dispute escalated into violence after the Baale of Otagiri community, Sulaimon Otagiri, was invited to mediate.
Thereafter, there was an inter-communal clash between members of Ita-Marun and Otagiri Community which resulted in the death of the Baale of Otagiri Community.
“The Baale was called to the site to help calm the situation. Later, there was confusion in the community. Some people brought Oro into the town despite our objections because there are many women in the community. During the disturbance, the Baale was struck on the head with a stick. He was bleeding from the nose and mouth and was rushed to the hospital. Three days later, he passed away,” he said.
He further alleged that although suspects were arrested and reportedly confessed, they were repeatedly released by the police.
“People were arrested, and we believed the matter would be thoroughly investigated. But after a few days, they were released. When we asked questions, we were told it was based on instructions from higher authorities. Even statements they made were later changed. That left us confused and afraid,” he said.
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Adesanya also recounted how his son, Shola Dada who was a Civil Engineer, came to spend the night at his place and was just going back to work in the morning, was killed in 2017 at Shade Junction.
“It had rained heavily on that day, we were at the bus stop together waiting for bus to convey us to our various destinations, when we were suddenly attacked. We tried to run for our lives, Shola fell while running because of the rain, and that was how they caught him and cut him into pieces.
“I screamed for help but no one could come to our rescue because the attackers had scared everyone away with gunshots. The police did a post-mortem, but those arrested were later released,” Adesanya said.
Adesanya also alleged that they were also attacked on March 3, 2005, which was the remembrance day of the late Baale. According to him, some persons were killed, some of his brothers were taken away and they have not been or heard of anymore.
“On our way back to the community to perform burial rites, we were attacked on the road by unknown persons armed with guns and cutlasses. My elder brother, who was driving the vehicle, was killed alongside others during that incident. Some of them were taken away, till today, we have not recovered their bodies,” Adesanya said.
He also stated that another brother of his was burnt to death alongside his wife and two children.
Another family member, Kazeem Musediku, narrated his own ordeal, including an alleged abduction and prolonged detention.
“In August 2004, I went to check our family property to ascertain. All of a sudden, I was captured, tied, stripped naked and put inside the boot of a car. In the boot, I didn’t know where I was being taken to till we got to a spot where I was brought down out from the boot.
“It was then I discovered that they wanted to throw me into the Lagoon at Third Mainland Bridge. It was late at night and there was no one to help. Suddenly one of them suggested he had somewhere else to take me as opposed to throwing me into the water. I was later taken to Panti and kept in a cell for four months without knowing the offence I committed,” he said.
Kazeem stated that his family only became aware of his existence after a preacher helped him locate his family in and notified them that he was alive and in prison. He alleged that his detention ended only after the case against him was struck out in court.
“They could not even come to court to prove what I did. The judge struck out the case, and that was how I survived,” he said.
The family further expressed concern that despite an injunction issued by a Lagos State High Court restraining parties from dealing with the disputed land, activities on the land have allegedly continued.
“The court ordered that no one should do anything on the land until the matter is resolved. But from what we are seeing, the land is still being sold. Because of fear, we cannot return to the community,” Adesanya said.
Counsel to the family, Toyin Usman Esq. represented by Olawunmi Raji of Gloria Chambers, confirmed receipt of court documents.
“We were briefed and given copies of the injunction, the ruling of the court and the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions. As counsel, we will go through the documents thoroughly and take all necessary legal steps to ensure that justice prevails,” he said.
The family appealed to the Federal and Lagos State governments, as well as human rights organisations, to intervene and order an independent investigation into the alleged killings and police conduct.
Caption for burnt people’s picture: Kehinde Olowu, his wife and two children who were burnt to death.
