The Olarinde Royal Family of Oguntedo Village, Satellite Town, Lagos State, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, over what it described as alleged abuse of police authority, intimidation and collusion with suspected land grabbers.
The family, in the petition, accused some officers attached to the Satellite Police Station, Area E Command, Tactical Team Area E and the Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department of allegedly frustrating investigations into attacks and land-related disputes involving members of the family.
The petition was also addressed to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, the Commissioner of Police overseeing the X-Squad Unit and the Police Service Commission.
According to the family, the alleged conduct of some officers has raised serious concerns about the protection of their property rights and the ability of affected residents to obtain impartial police intervention in land disputes.
Family Claims Ownership of Disputed Land
In the petition signed by Prince Yussuf Olarinde on behalf of the family, the petitioners claimed that the disputed New Oguntedo Village and Satellite Town settlement was allocated to the Olarinde Royal Family by the then Federal Military Government in 1978 following government acquisition and resettlement exercises.
The family further claimed that its ownership and possessory rights over the property were affirmed by a 1989 judgment of the High Court of Lagos State.
It said the judgment was subsequently enforced through warrants of possession issued in 1997 and 2010.
Despite the alleged court decisions and possession orders, however, the family claimed that it had continued to face repeated invasions, demolitions, intimidation and other forms of harassment from individuals it described as land-grabbing syndicates and criminal trespassers.
Allegations Against Police Officers
The family alleged that some police officers who should have remained neutral in the dispute instead provided what it described as operational support to suspected land grabbers and armed groups allegedly involved in attempts to take over the disputed properties.
It further alleged that family members and lawful occupants had been prevented from accessing their homes and ancestral properties, while complaints submitted to the police were allegedly frustrated.
According to the petitioners, the alleged misuse of police authority had left members of the family vulnerable to intimidation and attacks while creating an environment in which those accused of trespassing could continue operating.
The family also alleged that officers attached to various police formations in Lagos had failed to adequately respond to reports involving violent attacks, threats to life and destruction of property.
Reports of Violence and Property Destruction
The Olarinde family claimed that the dispute had gone beyond a conventional disagreement over ownership and had resulted in incidents involving shootings, assaults, threats and destruction of property.
It alleged that these incidents had been reported to the relevant authorities but that satisfactory action had not been taken in some cases.
The petitioners therefore appealed to the Inspector-General of Police to intervene and order an independent investigation into the conduct of the officers named in the petition.
They also called for appropriate action against any police personnel found to have violated professional standards or abused their authority.
Family Seeks Intervention From Police Headquarters
The petition reflects a broader concern surrounding the role of law enforcement agencies in land disputes, particularly where competing claims of ownership and possession have generated allegations of intimidation and violence.
The family wants the police authorities to review how complaints involving the disputed properties have been handled and determine whether officers acted within the limits of their powers.
It also wants security agencies to ensure that members of the family and other lawful occupants are protected from further attacks while the underlying property dispute is resolved through lawful means.
The petitioners argued that police intervention should be guided by court decisions and relevant laws rather than by the influence of any individual or group.
Previous Protest Over Alleged Harassment
The dispute is not entirely new. Members of the Olarinde family reportedly staged a protest at The PUNCH Place in July 2025 over what they described at the time as continued harassment connected to the land dispute.
The latest petition indicates that the family believes the issues remain unresolved and that further intervention from higher police authorities is necessary.
Call for Investigation
The petition has placed the conduct of the affected police formations under renewed scrutiny, with the family asking the Inspector-General of Police and other relevant authorities to examine the allegations.
For the petitioners, the central issue is not only the ownership of the disputed property but also the manner in which law enforcement agencies respond when competing parties make claims over land.
The family maintains that its rights should be protected in accordance with existing court judgments and the law, while any individual or group with a contrary claim should pursue the appropriate legal channels.
The allegations contained in the petition have not, however, been established in court, and the officers and other persons accused remain entitled to respond to the claims.
The family is now awaiting the response of the Inspector-General of Police and other authorities to its demands for an investigation and intervention.