In the petition, the group accused the monarch of illegally seizing houses, destroying properties, and reselling them to his associates without the consent of their rightful owners.
Residents of Ajegunle under the EndObaIjoraHouses/PropertySeizures campaign have petitioned the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, as well as the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
The petition is over illegal property seizures, violent attacks, and forced evictions linked to the Oba of Ijora, Oba Abdul Fatai Oyeyinka Aremu Aromire Oyegbemi II.
In the petition, the group accused the monarch of illegally seizing houses, destroying properties, and reselling them to his associates without the consent of their rightful owners.
The residents alleged that the Oba carried out these actions through the use of thugs, traditional charms, and with the support of the police and the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC).
The petitioners said the impact of the violence has been devastating, leading to the deaths and displacement of residents in the Ajegunle area.
According to the group, “The human suffering caused by this violence is devastating and undeniable. It is on record that for instance, an attack led by the Oba’s subjects, Akogun, Sunday Ojora, and Pastor Ojora, forced a pregnant woman into premature labor, leading to her death.”
They further narrated other incidents that occurred during the alleged attacks, saying the elderly and schoolchildren were also being affected.
“Another one had a pensioner who had suffered a stroke collapsed during an attack and required emergency care at a private hospital to recover. Over 12 students preparing for their NECO and WAEC examinations were displaced and unable to continue their studies while hundreds of families are now sleeping on the streets in front of their demolished homes, churches, and mosques,” the statement added.
The group noted that the situation is worsening the existing housing crisis in Lagos State, where rent prices have already become unaffordable for most low-income earners. They lamented that many residents depend on inherited family properties for shelter and are now being left homeless.
“This is happening in a Lagos where the high cost of rent is already out of reach for ordinary people,” the group said.
They also alleged that the rising cases of land grabbing in Lagos point to a growing failure of the government to protect citizens’ rights to property.
The petitioners linked the incidents in Ajegunle to other violent land disputes in parts of the state.
“Land grabbing is becoming the norm in Lagos State under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as seen similarly in the violent land grabs and killings in Oworonshoki,” the statement read.
The group called on Lagos residents and human rights advocates to unite in defence of justice and the rule of law, urging peaceful but firm resistance against unlawful evictions and intimidation.
“We, the people of Ajegunle, must stand in solidarity with each other and with the victims in Oworonshoki. We must unite to force Oba Ojora to obey the law. It is time to stand up and peacefully, but firmly, fight back for our rights, our homes, and our dignity,” the group declared.
