Ogun Accuses Police Zone 2 of Unlawful Detention, Media Blackmail in Land Dispute Case
Abeokuta – The Ogun State Government has condemned what it describes as a “malicious and lopsided” media report alleging that the state’s Attorney-General attempted to free murder suspects. In a strongly worded statement issued by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN), the government accused the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police, Zone 2, Lagos, of orchestrating a campaign of persecution and media blackmail in an ongoing land dispute case.
According to the statement, the controversy stems from a conflict between two land agents in Ogun State, where one faction has allegedly exploited law enforcement to harass the other through false accusations and manipulated witness testimonies. The Ministry of Justice, upon reviewing the case, found glaring inconsistencies—including witnesses who claimed to have seen a perpetrator but could not identify them—leading to the discontinuation of what it termed “baseless charges.”
However, the aggrieved party reportedly fabricated new murder allegations, which were dismissed after investigations by the Ogun State Police Command and credible witnesses. The statement alleged that when the complainants failed to secure a favourable outcome, they influenced AIG Fayoade of Zone 2 to unlawfully take over the case, despite lacking jurisdiction.
The government revealed that AIG Fayoade’s team attempted and failed to secure remand orders from magistrates in Lagos and Ogun States, with courts questioning the legality of detaining a suspect in Lagos for alleged crimes committed in Ogun. Despite magistrates ordering the immediate arraignment of the suspect, the police allegedly defied these directives and continued to detain the individual unlawfully for over a week.
The statement further accused the police of resorting to media propaganda, citing a journalist, Precious Igbonwelundu, for publishing a one-sided report without seeking the Ministry of Justice’s input. It also questioned the sudden “mobilisation” of police resources to pursue the case across multiple jurisdictions while ignoring court orders.
The Ogun State Government vowed to resist intimidation, invoking the Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2017, which empowers the Attorney-General to intervene in cases of prosecutorial abuse. It warned that legal action would be taken against those involved in the alleged misconduct.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to upholding justice and preventing the exploitation of the legal system for personal vendettas, urging the police to adhere to due process and respect court rulings.
