A simmering land dispute in Ikere Ekiti has erupted into a major controversy, as the Ajana Family has openly accused the town’s monarch, His Royal Majesty Oba Adejimi Adu-Alagbado, the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, of autocratic behaviour and blatant disregard for the rule of law.

The dispute, which spans several years, involves ancestral land jointly claimed by the Ajana and Ajiboye families. The matter was resolved through a High Court ruling in favour of the Ajana Family. But in a dramatic turn of events, the family now alleges that the king has flouted the court’s judgment and handed over the disputed land to unnamed investors without consultation or due process.

Judicial Decisions Ignored

In 2022, a High Court in Ikere Ekiti, presided over by Honourable Justice Fawehinmi, ruled on the land ownership matter in favour of the Ajana Family. Despite the clarity of the judgment, the Ajiboye Family allegedly rejected the ruling and continued to assert control over the property.

Faced with persistent opposition, the Ajana Family initiated both civil and criminal proceedings at the Magistrate and High Courts in Ikere Ekiti to protect their rights.

“Despite this clear and binding court judgment, members of the Ajiboye family continued to show hostility and took steps contrary to the peaceful resolution of the matter,” the family stated.

Palace Panels vs Court Orders

In what was initially perceived as a peace effort, the Ogoga set up traditional panels to mediate between the warring families. In resolutions dated June 30, 2023, and November 20, 2024, these palace panels echoed the High Court’s position, calling for the land to be shared.

However, the Ajiboye Family again rejected the resolutions. According to the Ajana Family, the Ogoga, instead of upholding judicial and traditional decisions, unilaterally announced that the land had been handed over to unnamed investors.

“In an unprecedented and shocking twist, the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, without consultation, negotiation, or consent of the Ajana Family, announced that the land in dispute had been handed over to some unnamed investors,” the family said.

Legal Petitions and Retaliation

In response, the Ajana Family, through their legal counsel, petitioned the Surveyor-General of Ekiti State on March 10, 2025, opposing the move. Copies of the petition were also sent to the Ekiti State Governor, Attorney General, Commissioner of Police, and the State Security Service.

Further legal action followed. On June 19, 2025, the family filed a motion to join key state actors— including the Surveyor-General, Governor, and Bureau of Lands — as respondents in the pending suit. The High Court granted the request on June 9, 2025.

The family’s frustration deepened when the monarch suspended Chief Oluwabamise Julius Afolabi, head of the Ajana Family, for three months. The family views the suspension as retaliation.

“This suspension is perceived by the Ajana Family as a retaliatory and coercive action, aimed at silencing legitimate opposition and legal redress,” the statement reads.

A Cry for Justice

The Ajana Family has now called for urgent intervention from the Ekiti State Government, judiciary, civil society, and the public.

“We view these developments as a flagrant abuse of traditional authority; a direct affront to the rule of law and judicial integrity; a deliberate attempt to dispossess the Ajana Family of its rightful heritage and ancestral land,” the family declared.

The statement further warned that allowing traditional authority to override court judgments could set a dangerous precedent in the state.

Call to Action

The family appealed to the following authorities and stakeholders:

Governor of Ekiti State

Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice

Chief Judge of Ekiti State

Civil society organisations

Nigerian Bar Association

The media and general public

“Traditional authority must not be allowed to override court judgments or be used as a tool of oppression,” said Barrister Olajide Ajana, lead counsel to the family.

The Ajana Family reaffirmed its commitment to peace and legal recourse, stressing they “reject every attempt to undermine our rights and intimidate our leadership.”

Supporting Documents Available

Attachments to the Ajana Family’s petition include:

Certified copy of the High Court judgment

Palace resolutions (June 30, 2023 & November 20, 2024)

Petition to the Surveyor-General (March 10, 2025)

Court order for joinder (June 9, 2025)

The Ogun State Community, Social Orientation and Safety Corps, popularly known as So-Safe Corps, has apprehended a serial offender identified as Paul James for allegedly stealing motorcycles in the state.

The arrest was confirmed in a statement signed by Assistant Commander Moruf Yusuf, Director of Information and Public Relations, on behalf of the State Commander, Commander (Dr) Soji Ganzallo.

According to the release, the suspect, Paul James, 32, was intercepted by officers of the Oke-Ogun Area Command on routine patrol along Igbo-Ora Road in Abeokuta. James, an okada rider residing at 32 Fayegbami Street, Ileese-Awo, allegedly displayed suspicious behavior when asked to present documentation for the motorcycle he was riding.

“He claimed he needed to retrieve the documents from home but never returned. Our operatives pursued and tracked him to Idi-Ori in Abeokuta North Local Government Area,” the statement revealed.

There, officers discovered another unregistered motorcycle in his possession. Under interrogation, Paul James reportedly confessed to stealing both bikes from Abule-Ilede in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, where his mother resides.

Further investigations led to the arrest of his accomplice, Alex Emmanuel, aged 31, who resides at 16 Surulere Street, Ileese-Awo, Abeokuta. Emmanuel’s role was allegedly to serve as the fence—selling the stolen motorcycles to buyers.

During preliminary questioning, Paul James admitted to having a history of theft.

“He confessed to stealing a motorbike in 2019 at Tobolo and selling it to one Sulaiman at Ita-Oshin. He also stole another one in 2013 from Ologun Eru Area, Ibadan, and gave it to a friend named Ifa Ogunlana,” Commander Ganzallo stated.

Items Recovered

The So-Safe Corps recovered:

Two unregistered Bajaj motorcycles

One itel Android smartphone

Two small phones

All items were reportedly stolen from Ibarapa North.

Following the arrest, the suspects and the recovered property were transferred to the Nigeria Police Force, Zonal Dragon Tactical Unit at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, for further investigation and potential prosecution.

Commander Ganzallo used the occasion to reiterate the Corps’ commitment to curbing crime and collaborating with other security agencies in Ogun and neighbouring states.

“We urge residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious individuals or activities to the Corps or nearest police station,” he said.

The Ogun State Community, Social Orientation and Safety Corps, also known as So-Safe Corps, has arrested a 29-year-old man, Usman Abdullahi, during a security operation in Ijebu-Ode. The suspect was found in possession of a locally-made pistol, narcotics, and other dangerous items.

The arrest, carried out around 12:30 p.m. on Friday, July 26, 2025, was based on credible intelligence received by the Ijebu Zonal Command of the Corps. Officers acted on reports of suspicious movement behind the Central Mosque area, popularly referred to as Zanga, in Ijebu-Ode.

According to a statement signed by the State Commander of So-Safe Corps, Dr. Soji Ganzallo, through the Director of Information and Public Relations, Assistant Commander Moruf Yusuf, the operation led to the successful apprehension of the suspect without incident.

“Upon searching the suspect, items recovered included a locally-made pistol, a waist charm believed to be used for spiritual protection, a knife, a sparkler (an improvised explosive/firework), and substances suspected to be narcotics,” the statement read.

Commander Ganzallo confirmed that the suspect confessed during initial interrogation that the firearm belonged to one Basiru, who is currently at large. Abdullahi also admitted to being involved in the distribution of illegal drugs in the area.

The suspect and all recovered items have been transferred to the Nigeria Police Force at the Igbeba Area Command, Ijebu-Ode, for further investigation and possible prosecution.

The Corps Commander commended the intelligence-gathering team for their professionalism and urged the public to remain vigilant.

“We encourage residents to keep providing useful and timely information that can help prevent criminal activities in our communities. So-Safe officers remain committed to upholding law and order professionally,” Ganzallo assured.

This arrest marks another milestone in the So-Safe Corps’ broader mission to curb crime and promote safety in Ogun State’s local communities.