The Ogun State Ministry of Justice has issued a stern warning to the public against purchasing land fraudulently advertised by land grabbers in Odogbolu Local Government.
The ministry revealed that the disputed land, which certain individuals are attempting to sell, falls under government acquisition and includes properties belonging to the Ogun State Government and the state university.
Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN), in a statement on Thursday, disclosed that the ministry uncovered a fraudulent Customary Court judgment being used by land grabbers to deceive prospective buyers.
“The Ogun State Ministry of Justice is impelled by recent developments to issue this urgent notice,” Ogungbade said. “We have found that a certain group, claiming to represent the Fibiwoga Family, obtained an improperly secured judgment, which they are now using to falsely claim ownership of government land.”
He explained that the ministry received a petition from representatives of the alleged family, claiming ownership of a 350-acre expanse of land. However, investigations revealed that the land was already acquired by the Ogun State Government and is home to two large Ogun State University properties, as well as other government-allotted spaces.
“The entirety of the land claimed by the Fibiwoga Family falls within government acquisition and encroaches on government-occupied land,” Ogungbade stated.
The ministry further described the judgment obtained at the Customary Court as fraudulent, pointing out several legal irregularities in the process.
“The complainants who approached the Customary Court knew the land was not theirs but still proceeded to obtain a judgment without including the State Government, which has a clear interest in the land,” the statement read. “None of the named defendants was even served notice of the suit, and trial and judgment curiously took place on the same day—without the knowledge of the supposed defendants.”
Furthermore, the ministry noted that the judgment did not specify the exact land awarded to the claimants, and no survey plan was submitted before the court.
“It was only after the judgment had been delivered that the Fibiwoga Family attached a survey plan to their claim, but that document was never part of the case in court and cannot now be used as a basis for land sales,” Ogungbade explained.
The Attorney General further exposed that the Fibiwoga Family, through a developer known as Obatob Properties Limited, is now falsely advertising the government-owned land as a residential estate available for purchase.
“For the reasons stated above, the Ministry of Justice is taking steps to set aside the fraudulent judgment that the Fibiwoga Family and Obatob Properties Limited are relying on,” he said.
The ministry cautioned the public against falling victim to this fraudulent scheme, urging potential buyers to verify land claims before making any financial commitments.
“Even without the judgment being set aside, members of the public should be discerning enough to examine the judgment and ask these sellers where in the ruling the land was described as theirs to sell,” Ogungbade advised.
The ministry concluded by reiterating that the Fibiwoga Family’s claim to 350 acres of land along Lagos Road, Apere Oba via Ijebu-Ode, is “fictitious, fraudulent, and baseless.”
“In the same vein, Obatob Properties Limited has no legal right to develop, assign, or administer any land in the described area. Anyone who chooses to deal with these entities does so at their own risk and should be prepared for a firm response from the government,” the statement warned.
