Royal Scandal: Ondo Monarch Jailed Over Land Grab Claims

A Chief Magistrate’s Court in Akure has ordered the remand of Chief Olusola Michael Aderounmu, the Obaloja of Oba-Ile, at the Olokuta Correctional Centre. This decision follows allegations that Chief Aderounmu forcefully took possession of a disputed farmland and subsequently destroyed economic crops located within the Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State. The land in question was reportedly sold in 2014 by its former owner, the late Chief Daniel Fabomi, who was the Ajana of Eleyewo.

According to the charge presented by Mr. O.E. Akintan, the Principal Legal Officer in the Ondo State Ministry of Justice, Chief Aderounmu and other individuals, who are currently at large, are accused of trespassing on the disputed property. The charges include destroying fences and crops, and using thugs to dispossess the rightful owner, despite being aware that the property had been lawfully sold. A specific count in the charge states: “That you, Chief Aderounmu Olusola, and others at large, sometime in 2025, within the Akure Magisterial District, at Block B, Plots 1 to 11, and Block E, Plots 1 to 4, Sao Family Layout Phase II, along Oke-Oge Road, Eleyewo, Akure North Local Government Area, did threaten to forcefully take over the landed property of one Abiodun Samuel Idowu, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 4(4) and punishable under Section 4(4)(a) of the Ondo State Properties Protection and Documentation Law, 2024.”

Another charge against Aderounmu and his associates alleges that they forcefully took possession of the same property, an act contrary to Section 3 and punishable under Section 3(3) of the Ondo State Properties Protection and Documentation Law, 2024. The prosecution further argued in court that the defendant’s actions have the potential to disrupt public peace, undermine lawful property ownership, and foster insecurity regarding land transactions across the state. It was also revealed that Chief Aderounmu allegedly ignored multiple invitations issued by the Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force since May 2026, reportedly going into hiding and providing excuses to avoid investigation.

Despite the allegations, Chief Aderounmu pleaded not guilty to all the charges brought against him. The court subsequently granted him bail set at ₦2 million, requiring two sureties. One surety must be a civil servant of Level 10 or above, presenting a letter of appointment, while the second must be a landowner. Both sureties are mandated to provide current tax clearance certificates and undergo verification by the court registrar. The magistrate also directed Chief Aderounmu to submit affidavit evidence and relevant title documents presented by his sureties. He will remain remanded at the Olokuta Correctional Centre until these bail conditions are fully met.

In response to these developments, Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, who also chairs the Ondo State Task Force on Property Protection and Anti-Land Grabbing, issued a stern caution to residents. He advised against resorting to self-help or taking the law into their own hands to resolve land disputes, stating, “Those who choose the path of lawlessness will face the full weight of the law.”

Dr. Ajulo reaffirmed Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that all land disputes are resolved through lawful and official channels. He warned that acts such as forceful entry, illegal occupation of land, intimidation, and other forms of land grabbing will continue to attract rigorous criminal prosecution. He emphasized that the Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force was established to offer residents a credible and accessible avenue for seeking redress, thereby discouraging self-help practices that often escalate into violence, insecurity, and prolonged communal conflicts.