The Lagos State Ministry of Justice has directed the police to reopen investigations into allegations of forgery and willful property destruction involving a real estate developer, Alex Ochonogor, and two lawyers, Ademola Owolabi and Adebayo Akeju.
The directive followed a second police report that reportedly cleared Ochonogor and Owolabi of the allegations earlier leveled against them. The report was signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Dahiru, and forwarded to the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for review.
In a letter dated August 22, 2025, and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Adeshola Adekunle-Bello, the Ministry instructed the police to carry out further inquiries by interrogating more witnesses and re-examining key documents linked to the case.
The letter, addressed to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Ikoyi, requested that the investigation team focus on clarifying conflicting claims in the previous reports.
The Ministry particularly directed investigators to question additional witnesses, including Dr. Obidigwe Eze and retired Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, in light of new revelations surrounding the disputed Lekki property.
Ochonogor and his co-defendants were arraigned last week before a Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square. They were accused of forging land documents and demolishing a structure on a property located in Lekki Phase 1.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and were subsequently granted bail by the presiding judge, Justice Serifat Sonaike.
However, Ochonogor and Owolabi, dissatisfied with the initial investigation that led to their prosecution, petitioned the Commissioner of Police, alleging that the inquiry was compromised and driven by ulterior motives.
Their petition claimed that investigators abused their offices and ignored material evidence, resulting in a misleading report and undue criminal charges.
The subsequent police review report found that none of the key documents examined were forged and that the demolition of the disputed structure was duly authorized by relevant government officials.
The report stated that the property in question, Block 133, Plot 10, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, was originally allocated to Major Hamza Al-Mustapha by the Lagos State Government in July 1994 through a valid Certificate of Occupancy.
It also confirmed that a demolition notice issued by Lagos State officials in 2009 was authentic and properly signed by authorized personnel, including Engineer Peter Omotosho of Archbond Builders Ltd and Mr. Bode Agoro of the Lands Bureau.
According to the report, the demolition notice was published in the Punch Newspaper on September 11, 2009, and signed by Mr. Gbenga Ashafa, who was then the Permanent Secretary of the Lands Bureau.
Investigators also discovered that a deed of assignment presented by complainant Dr. Obidigwe Eze was not signed by the purported parties, suggesting the document was forged.
The Registrar of Titles confirmed that the memorandum of loss and affidavit of loss relating to the disputed property were properly registered and genuine.
Justice Serifat Sonaike has adjourned further hearing in the case to October 13, 2025, to allow for the submission of fresh findings.
Reacting to the latest development, Lagos lawyer George Obot described the Ministry’s decision to order a new investigation as a welcome development that could potentially exonerate the defendants.
Obot argued that the Ministry of Justice had overlooked crucial evidence and failed to interview key witnesses before initiating prosecution, leading to what he described as a hasty and flawed process.
He, however, expressed optimism that the Attorney General and other Ministry officials would now take corrective steps to ensure that justice is served fairly in the matter
