The Olarinde Royal Family of Oguntedo Village, Satellite Town, Lagos State, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, over alleged abuse of power, intimidation and collusion with suspected land grabbers by some officers of the Lagos State Police Command.
The family alleged that the affected officers had interfered with investigations into attacks on its members while allegedly using their positions to intimidate and harass them in connection with a longstanding land dispute.
According to The Punch, the petition, signed by Prince Yussuf Olarinde on behalf of the family was also addressed to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the X-Squad Unit and the Police Service Commission.
The family had previously protested at The PUNCH Place in July 2025 over what it described as persistent harassment linked to the land dispute.
According to the petitioners, the disputed New Oguntedo Village and Satellite Town settlement was created and allocated to the Olarinde Royal Family by the Federal Military Government in 1978 after government acquisition and resettlement exercises.
The family further claimed that its ownership and possessory rights over the property were upheld by a 1989 judgment of the Lagos State High Court.
It said warrants of possession arising from the judgment were subsequently issued in 1997 and 2010.
Despite the judgment and possession orders, the family alleged that it had continued to suffer invasions, demolitions, intimidation and violent attacks allegedly carried out by land-grabbing groups and criminal trespassers.
It specifically accused officers attached to the Satellite Police Station, Area E Command, Tactical Team Area E and the Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department of allegedly shielding suspected land grabbers and frustrating complaints against them.
The petition partly read, “Rather than maintaining neutrality and enforcing lawful court judgments, the officers complained against provided operational cover and protection for armed thugs and land-grabbing syndicates; intimidated lawful occupants and family members.
“They prevented members of the Olarinde family from accessing their ancestral homes and properties. While they supervised and facilitated unlawful invasions and demolitions, they also frustrated lawful complaints and petitions submitted by the petitioners; and used police authority as an instrument of oppression against victims while shielding alleged perpetrators.”
The petitioners said several incidents involving shootings, assaults, threats to life and destruction of property had been reported to the police.
They also highlighted an alleged assassination attempt against Olanrewaju Olarinde on July 9, 2025, claiming that armed thugs attacked him but that the police failed to arrest or prosecute those responsible despite repeated complaints.
Beyond the alleged attacks, the family accused some police officers of fabricating criminal allegations against its members, manipulating investigations and using criminal proceedings as a means of intimidation.
The petitioners referred to the arraignment of Yussuf Olarinde, Sanni Olarinde and the Oba-elect, Latifu Sadiku Olarinde, on alleged murder and armed robbery charges. They also mentioned a separate case involving another family member, Tope Olarinde.
The family further alleged that properties belonging to its members were demolished, looted or occupied unlawfully during what it described as police-backed invasions.
It claimed that vehicles, building materials, cash, personal effects and other valuables worth millions of naira were allegedly stolen or confiscated during the incidents.
Consequently, the petitioners asked the Inspector-General of Police to order an independent investigation into the allegations and transfer the relevant case files from the Lagos State Police Command to the Force Criminal Investigation Department or another investigative unit outside the state.
They also called for the investigation of the officers named in the petition, recovery of allegedly stolen property, prosecution of identified suspects and provision of police protection for members of the Olarinde family and residents of Oguntedo Village and Satellite Town.
The petitioners said, “We respectfully submit that the continued silence, compromise, neglect, and inaction of some officers of the Lagos State Police Command in the face of overwhelming complaints, subsisting court judgments, attempted killings, violent invasions, criminal intimidation, and organised unlawful activities constitute a dangerous perversion of justice and a grave threat to the rule of law.
“We therefore passionately appeal to your distinguished office to urgently intervene in the interest of justice, public peace, protection of innocent citizens, preservation of lives and property, and safeguarding the integrity and credibility of the Nigeria Police Force.”
The Force Public Relations Officer, Iniedu Okokon, could not be reached for comment on Monday, as calls to his telephone lines went unanswered.
A text message sent to him had also not received a response as of the time of filing the report.
