By Christopher Oji
A Lagos-based businessman has sent a Save-Our-Souls (ºSOS) to Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun to investigate into the death of his site manager, who was killed during an attack onsite at his land in Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos, by land grabbers, allegedly led by Badmos Olatunji Monsor.
The businessman, Alhaji Akeem Osuolale, said he was calling the attention of the IGP to the matter because of the shoddy way the police from Zone 2 Police Command and Lagos State Police Command and the Force Criminal Investigation Department are handling the murder case.
While speaking on the development on the murder of the engineer, Osuolale said the police resorted to handling land matters on a property that was allotted by the Lagos State Government, instead of investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing.
Osuolale, owner of the company where the deceased was working until the unfortunate incident, bemoaned the shoddy manner in which the police were handling the case.
Alhaji Osuolale is the chairman of Nigercat Nigeria Limited, whose subsidiary company, WGC Construction Limited, was allocated about 11 hectares of land through two separate letters from the Lagos State Government, with the numbers LASG/LB S0000228005, dated 18th December, 2024, and LASG/LB S0000222499, dated October 13, 2023, accused the police of trying to cover up the killing of the late employee.
He particularly singled out the Lagos State Police Command, Alausa Divisional Police Station and FCID, Alagbon, for releasing some suspects who were arrested in connection with the killing but continued to detain four colleagues of the engineer, who were with him on site that fateful day.
Osuolale narrated that: “The property was initially rented out to mechanics, who were paying rents to the Lagos State Government, until the government decided that the environment was unsuitable for such operation and thereby decided to allocate it to WGC Construction Company.
“The land was allocated to me and I paid the necessary fees to the Lagos State Government and I took ownership of the property and began development.
“Trouble started about two weeks ago, when an armed gang invaded the site and claimed to be working for one Owoeye, who claimed to have bought it from late Ashamu.
“I explained to them that the land was allocated to my company by the Lagos State Government and that they should go to the company or seek redress in court.
“I thought that, with my explanation, everything had been sorted out, until June 17, 2925, when these people came again and attempted to attack my workers on the site.
“They came with some policemen from Zone 2 Police Command and after I spoke with the policemen, they discovered that they were misinformed by the people who contacted them.
“A meeting was scheduled for the 19th of June, 2025, and by the time I was in the AIG’s office for the meeting, I received a call that some people had invaded the site again and killed my site engineer and injured 15 other workers.
“The armed thugs who invaded the site during the death of my worker were led by officers from the IGP Intelligence Response Team from Abuja and one Omotosho.
“All the armed thugs, who were arrested in connection with the death, were released immediately at Alausa Police Station and FCID Alagbon, while the colleagues of the deceased worker are still languishing in detention.”
Osuolale particularly wondered why the Lagos State Commissioner of Police directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of administration to handle a murder case, instead of the appropriate State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti.
He noted that: “We are talking of a murder case and the CP’s DC is mandated to be looking at a land matter on the property of the Lagos State Government.”
However, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, described the allegations against the command as baseless, as the case has been transferred to SCID, Panti, for further investigation.
He said, “Allegations against the command are baseless, as such cases are handled with utmost seriousness. The investigation’s outcome will be made public. Also, there is no record of IRT policemen from Abuja being involved or leading any armed invasion.
“Following a thorough review of the case after listening to all parties, the Commissioner of Police directed the Area Commander, Ikeja, to transfer the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation, and this has been done. So far, three suspects have been arrested in connection with the case.
“If the complainant has concerns about the investigation, they are encouraged to contact the SCID directly to express them. The suspects are in SCID and we can’t parade them as the force has stopped parade of suspects.”