….As Court Dismisses Fundamental Rights Enforcement Case Against Police, Journalist*
The Ogun State Task Force on Anti-Land Grabbing and Illegalities has detained the self-acclaimed Baale of Idiya, Wale Kadiri Kudaisi, over allegations of land grabbing, unlawful encroachment, and malicious destruction of property.
Similarly, Justice O. O. Majekodunmi of the Ogun State High Court sitting in Abeokuta on Friday 24th October 2025 has also dismissed the fundamental human rights case instituted by the suspect, against the police and a journalist and lecturer, Dr. Jamiu Folarin.
Kadiri, who has been at the center of multiple petitions involving land disputes in different communities of Abeokuta North Local Government Area, was taken into custody alongside one of his subordinates on Thursday, October 23, 2025, following a directive of the Commandant of the Task Force, during its sitting at its headquarters at Quarry Road, in Abeokuta.
The detention followed petition submitted by the Crescent University Cooperative Society (CRESCOOPS), over alleged encroachment, destruction of property, and continued construction on disputed land despite an earlier warning by the taskforce to halt all activities pending investigation.
CRESCOOPS had petitioned the Ogun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN), after the suspect and another accomplice, one Lateef Kehinde Kudaisi forcefully encroached on its land at Oloparun village along Rounda-Igboora road, Abeokuta.
While attending to the petition as forwarded to it by the Attorney-General, the Taskforce in its earlier session, ordered all parties to maintain the status quo while ownership documents were being verified.
However, investigations revealed that the suspended Baale of Idiya and other accomplices defied the directive and continued construction on the contested land.
The vendor of CRESCOOPS, Chief Olu Sonoiki, had earlier presented valid ownership documents and other supporting evidence confirming his legitimate right to the property.
In contrast, the suspect and his aides reportedly failed to produce title documents or court ruling which they claimed granted them legal ownership.
Following this development, the Commandant of the Anti-Land Grabbing Taskforce, Mr. Taiwo Mustapha, ordered the immediate detention of suspect and his subordinate.
He said that they are to remain in detention until they meet the conditions for administrative bail, which include providing sureties and submitting valid ownership documents and a purported court judgment establishing their claim to the land.
The Task Force also disclosed that failure of the suspects to produce necessary documents to the land ownership by Friday 24th October 2025, the detained suspects are expected to be arraigned before a competent court on Tuesday 28th October 2025 to face charges related to land grabbing, and offence under the Ogun State Anti-Land Grabbing Law, 2016.
The suspect, Kadiri, had earlier been suspended as Baale of Idiya by the Council of Baales in Abeokuta North Local Government Area, following series of complaints and allegations of landgrabbing against him.
Responding to the development, one of the members of CRESCOOPS, Alhaji. Afeez Makinde, hailed the arrest of the self-proclaimed Baale of Idiya describing it as a bold step towards restoring sanity and public confidence in the government’s resolve to curb the menace of land grabbing in the state.
Recall that the Ogun State Government, through the Ministry of Justice, established the Taskforce on Anti-Land Grabbing Tand Illegalities to address the rising cases of land-related violence, intimidation, and illegal acquisition of properties across the state.
The law prescribes strict penalties, including imprisonment, for anyone found guilty of forcefully taking over another person’s land.
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