Lawyers For Reform Group and human rights groups have called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, the Director of State Services, the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu and governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to come to the aid of Lagosians, who they said are suffering from activities of land grabbers especially, one Tomori Williams.
The lawyers and the rights groups said Williams has been constant in terrorising innocent Lagosians by allegedly using force through thugs and other miscreants to take over their legitimate properties.
Executive Project Director, Human Right Action Watch, Comrade Tunji Balogun, said Chief Williams has turned Lagos State to another Banana Republic, where he employs the activities of thugs and other miscreants to humiliate and terrorise genuine property owners.
He said, “I feel there is the urgent need to bring to the attention of the IGP,, the DSS Director, the NSA and the governor of Lagos State the activities of land grabbers in Lagos, especially one Chief Tomori Williams, who has been involved in several land grabbing issues.”
Several petitions that were written and sent to various Lagos State authorities on the alleged land grabbing activities of Williams and other alleged leading land grabbers in the state were made available to journalists and this include the one written on 28th of June, 2023 by Goldsmith Partners, a team of Solicitors, to the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and the Lagos State Special Task Force on Land Grabbers.
In the petition signed by Femi Adisa-Isikalu, the petitioners alleged that “Tajudeen Egunaye, Ayinde Sanni Egunaye, Chief (Mrs)Kudirat Egunaye, Aare Tomori Williams and other unidentified persons, including lawyers, who aide and abetted this nefarious crimes, to wit: Nwosu Nwosu Godson Chuks Esq, secretary to Tomori William’s company, TWilliams Construction Nigeria Limited, encouraged and led thugs and other miscreants and forcefully broke into a property said to be owned by their client, Olufemi Fasehun at No 10, Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos and carted away several properties, regrettably, recently he confessed through a media interview that he is a renowned landgraber and any land he is ready to grab no one can stop him, this and many other incidents gave us doubts, if actually he is not above the law.”
The petitioners said in the petition that “they (the accused) demolished part of the fence on the building, remove the security wires on the fence, damaged the gate at the back of the building, broke into the residential building inside the premises and carted away several property.”
In another petition against Tomori Williams, dated 3rd February, 2020, which was sent to the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, the family of Mr Sule Dawodu accused Williams of laying claim to their inherited property at No 4, Patience Street, Off Apapa Road, Ebute Meta, in Lagos Mainland .
The petitioners urged the Lagos State government to save them them from Tomori Williams who they accused of threatening to sell their property.
Also, another petition, dated 30th May, 2017, by Sulegt Nigeria Limited and signed by TPl. Solomom A. Odu, titled” Petition Against Mr. Tomori Williams over forceful land entry and demand for unaccountable fees and levies by violence with regard to construction,” was sent to the Chairman, Lagos State Special Task Force Against Land Grabbers.
Another petition was filed against Tomori Williams on 16th May, 2022, titled: ‘Petition Against Oloto’s Family of Olaleye Estate, Iponri for Land Grabbing and Encroachment.’
In another petition on 10th January, 2022, a physically-challenged Batula Olasehindemi petitioned Governor Sanwo-Olu that Chief Y. Akinlaja, a. k.a Olorogun Atebo of Lagos and Mr Tomori Williams, because they are rich and well-connected, forcefully took his land because they know he is physically-challenged. He therefore called on Governor Sanwo-Olu to help him out.
Another petition which was dated December 05, 2023, was sent to the coordinator, Lagos State Special Taskforce on Land Grabber by Muyideen Aderounmu Esq, solicitor to the estate of late Hon. Justice Akinkunmi Holloway.
The petition was titled: ‘Petition Against Chief Balogun Ajao Ibrahim, Chief Samuel Otubogunwa, Chief Bolanle Akinyemi, Chief Babatunde Adegbenro Agaga, Chief Princess Ogunbanjo and Chief Otunba Tomori Williams in Respect of Land Grabbing, Malicious Damage, Criminal Trespass, Threat to Life and Property and Conduct Likely to Cause Breach of Public Peace.’
Speaking further, Comrade Balogun said government at both the state and federal levels need to call Tomori Williams to order and stop his illegal terrorism against innocent property owners.
He said doing this will give rest of minds to land owners in the affected areas in Lagos.
He particularly called on Governor Sanwo-Olu to find a way of getting rid of land grabbers’ menace, especially on the Lagos Island corridor of the state.
He said the mega city status Lagos is being turned into cannot accommodate land grabbers, saying government should do something and on time too.
