…reiterates Gov. Aiyedatiwa’s zero-tolerance stance on land grabbing and lawful protection of legitimate landowners
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Ondo State, Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, SAN, OON, has entered a nolle prosequi to discontinue criminal proceedings against Mr. Fred Akinuoye, popularly known as “Adaja,” who had been remanded in connection with an alleged attack on an alleged notorious land grabber, Mr. Ojo Ajisafe.
The decision, formally conveyed in a letter to the Registrar of the Chief Magistrate Court effectively brings an end to the criminal case filed against Mr. Akinuoye.
Reports indicate that the controversy began after Mr. Ajisafe, an alleged serial land grabber with a record of violent disputes and prior murder trials, accused Mr. Akinuoye of attacking him with a machete on February 14, 2025, while on his farm. The accusation led to Akinuoye’s arrest and subsequent remand at the Olokuta Correctional Centre.
However, investigations revealed that the accusation stemmed from a retaliatory motive. Mr. Akinuoye had earlier won a court judgment affirming his ownership of the disputed land, which Mr. Ajisafe had long sought to seize. Despite previous records showing that Ajisafe had twice attacked Akinuoye, and was arrested, charged to court, and granted bail on both occasions, he allegedly fabricated the assault claim to frame Akinuoye and reverse his court victory.
In exercising his constitutional power under Section 211 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Dr. Ajulo reviewed the case and found the prosecution to be baseless and unjustified, prompting the issuance of the nolle prosequi to terminate the proceedings.
Dr. Ajulo expressed deep concern over the misuse of police authority in land-related disputes, calling on the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force in the State to retrain their officers on jurisdictional limits in civil land matters. He warned against continued interference in property disputes, stressing that such actions enable illegality and tarnish the image of the police and the country at large.
The Attorney General noted that his office has received several complaints from citizens alleging harassment and intimidation by land grabbers who connive with undesirable law enforcement officers to frame and detain legitimate landowners. He therefore urged the Ondo State Commissioner of Police to identify, discipline, and prosecute any officers found aiding such criminal practices.
Dr. Ajulo further directed that the prosecution of the alleged land grabber, Mr. Ojo Ajisafe, be continued to its logical conclusion, and also ordered that an inventory be taken in all courts across Ondo State to ascertain the state of the justice delivery system. He emphasised that any police officer found culpable of aiding or abetting land grabbing would be dragged to face disciplinary action before the Police Service Commission and other appropriate bodies.
“While my office will file a formal complaint to the Inspector-General of Police regarding this matter, I must commend the Nigeria Police Force for its overall commitment to justice. However, we must work together to weed out the few bad eggs who undermine the integrity of the force by enabling criminal elements and land grabbers. He stated.
The Attorney General’s decisive move resonates with concerns earlier raised by the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Okitipupa Branch, Omotola Odusola, Esq., during the special court session marking the new legal year in Akure on October 27, 2025. Odusola had decried the disturbing trend where genuine landowners are unjustly remanded based on frivolous complaints orchestrated by land grabbers who exploit corrupt officers to intimidate and dispossess them. He commended the Attorney General’s intervention as a victory for justice and the rule of law.
It was also gathered that, in a similar pattern, while Mr. Akinuoye was remanded in custody, parcels of his land were being unlawfully sold, a common scheme reportedly linked to the activities of Mr. Ajisafe and his network.
Reaffirming Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration’s unwavering stance, Dr. Ajulo declared that the era of land grabbing in Ondo State is over, warning that anyone found culpable would face the full wrath of the law.
He reiterated that the government remains resolutely committed to protecting legitimate landowners and ensuring that the instruments of justice are never weaponised against the innocent.
With the issuance of the nolle prosequi, all criminal charges against Mr. Akinuoye have been formally withdrawn, marking a decisive statement by the Ondo State Government against impunity, corruption, and land-related injustice.
Olaoluwa Meshack
Head, Information and Media Unit
Ministry of Justice, Ondo State
October 28, 2025.
