Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu
The long-running land dispute over a 114.476-hectare parcel at Ogombo Village, Eti-Osa, Lagos State, has entered a new phase, with steps now being taken to enforce a settlement adopted as judgment by the Lagos State High Court.
The case involved interests linked to the historic estate of the late Iyalode Efunroye Tinubu and members of the Kosoko royal family. Mr Shafiu Kassim Lumosa and others represented the estate’s side in the proceedings.
In a judgment delivered on November 12, 2024, at Court 37 of the Lands Division of the High Court of Lagos State, Justice O.O. Ogunjobi adopted the Terms of Settlement reached by the parties as the judgment of the court, giving the agreement the force of a court judgment.
The settlement relates to the 114.476-hectare parcel of land at Ogombo Village, identified under Survey Plan No. OGJ/5283/006/2023/LA, dated October 26, 2023.
A key component of the settlement was an agreement for the payment of N1.5 billion as settlement and compensation, with the terms providing for payment within 45 days of the judgment.
Lumosa’s involvement in the matter on behalf of the Efunroye Tinubu Estate is supported by a Power of Attorney from Madam Efunroye Tinubu, through Chief Adamakin Akinfolabi, authorising him to act on matters relating to the estate and its property interests.
The land dispute has attracted attention partly because of the historical documents relied upon by parties in tracing ownership and interests in the property.
Among them is a 1912 survey plan prepared by Herbert Macaulay, which has been cited in connection with the historical interest of the Efunroye Tinubu Estate.
Records relating to the property also include an earlier Supreme Court judgment, which formed part of the legal history surrounding competing claims to the land.
Following the court proceedings, the parties reached an agreement which was subsequently presented to the High Court and formally adopted by Justice Ogunjobi as its judgment.
The development means that the dispute, at least in respect of the settlement adopted by the court, has moved beyond the judgment stage to implementation.
A letter dated July 30, 2025, from the office of the Inspector-General of Police at Force Headquarters, Abuja, also indicated that official steps were being taken in connection with enforcement of the High Court decision.
The letter, referenced CB:3594/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.14/101, was titled, “Request for the Enforcement of the Ruling of the High Court of Lagos in the Ikeja Judicial Division in Suit No. 124/1912.”
In the communication, the Police Legal Services Directorate was directed to attend to a request relating to enforcement of the court’s decision.
The letter stated that a July 17, 2025 communication from Abdurahim Opoku Shaibu & Associates had been forwarded to the Director of Legal Services to convey the directive of the Inspector-General of Police on the matter.
The document was signed by DCP Lateef A. Ahmed, Ph.D., Principal Staff Officer to the Inspector-General of Police.
The police communication adds another layer to the implementation of the judgment, indicating that the matter has progressed from a court-approved settlement to efforts aimed at giving effect to the orders and terms agreed by the parties.
For the parties, the focus is now on compliance with the terms of settlement adopted by the High Court, including the provisions relating to the land and the agreed N1.5 billion settlement and compensation.
The Ogombo case remains significant because of the historical claims surrounding the property and the legal proceedings that have shaped its ownership history over the years.
With the High Court having formally adopted the parties’ settlement as its judgment, the latest development marks a transition from litigation to implementation, as enforcement steps continue in accordance with the court’s decision.
