Landlords and property owners at Alagbaka Extension in Akure, the Ondo State capital, have raised alarm over what they described as a brazen attempt to violate a subsisting court order staying execution on a disputed land.
The landlords have petitioned the Ondo State Chief Registrar and copied top government officials, including Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, over what they termed “a clear case of contempt of court.”
The petition, dated June 2025 and signed by their solicitor, Ogaga Erebor, Esq. of Hillcity Associates, comes amid rising tension between residents of the highbrow Alagbaka Extension and the Umelu and Olokunjuwon families, who are laying claim to the same parcel of land.
“It has been brought to our attention that the respondents… are harassing and threatening to execute certain judgment… in a grave departure from and attempt to circumvent the Order of Court in SC/CV/1151/2022,” the petition read in part.
According to the landlords, despite a Supreme Court case with an active stay of execution order still pending—SC/CV/1151/2022—the Umelu and Olokunjuwon families have erected posters around the estate threatening to eject homeowners and residents.
“This is a direct affront to the rule of law and an attempt to enforce an illegal judgment despite a valid and subsisting order by the High Court granted on May 17, 2023, by Justice A.O. Adebusoye,” the legal representative stated.
The legal team warned that any attempt to enforce a contradictory judgment—SC/CV/2411/2023—would not only undermine judicial authority but also result in “irrecoverable damage to the res (subject matter) in question.”
Notably, the petition revealed that the harassment extended to Governor Aiyedatiwa himself, whose private residence in the estate was reportedly defaced by persons acting on behalf of the opposing families.
“It is not only embarrassing but worrisome that even the Governor’s residence was defaced, signaling a total disregard for order, authority, and the dignity of governance,” the petition noted.
Other recipients of the letter include the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the AIG of Zone 17, and the Ondo State Commissioner of Police.
The residents emphasized that they are not squatters but legal owners with registered interests and are determined to resist all forms of intimidation and unlawful eviction.
“We urge the judiciary and law enforcement agencies not to be misled into executing an illegal judgment that directly contravenes a standing order of court,” Erebor appealed.
The matter, which has now attracted wider public and legal attention, is expected to test the strength of Nigeria’s judicial processes and its enforcement mechanisms amid rising land disputes across the country.
