An Ondo State Magistrate Court sitting in Oke Eda, Akure, has remanded a traditional ruler and two others at the Olokuta Correctional Centre over alleged illegal land transactions.
The defendants — Oba David Okunato, Tifase Folasade and Nwaigbue Chijioke — were arraigned on allegations linked to fraudulent land dealings and multiple sales of landed property.
According to the allegations, the monarch allegedly sold about 750 plots of land to a company for development purposes before later reselling parts of the same property to different buyers, resulting in ownership disputes.
The government further alleged that when the company returned to begin development, it discovered that fresh allocations had allegedly been made on the same land, prompting complaints and intervention from relevant authorities.
It was also alleged that the monarch later agreed to provide another parcel of land to the company as compensation but allegedly resold the same property to another buyer, worsening the controversy.
The court granted the defendants bail in the sum of N2 million each with one surety, who must be a recognised traditional ruler within the magisterial district and a Level 14 officer resident within the Akure Magisterial District, pending fulfilment of the bail conditions.
Reacting to the development, Ondo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Olukayode Ajulo (SAN), said the government would sustain its crackdown on land grabbers and individuals involved in fraudulent land transactions across the state.
“We are sending a strong message that the era of impunity in land dealings is over. No individual, regardless of status or influence, will be allowed to undermine peace, investment and development in Ondo State. Anyone found culpable will face the full weight of the law,” Ajulo said.