Land: Group Drags Ex-Council Chairman To EFCC

A group of Concerned Citizens of Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State has petitioned the Economic Financial and Economic Crimes (EFCC) over the alleged fraudulent leasing of land and property belonging to the council by the immediate past chairman of local government, Hon. Sikiru Adesina.
In a petition signed by its Chairman, Aderibigbe Ajani Kolapo, the groupaccused Adesina of “fraudulently transferring” the local government land to some individuals suspected to be his family members and political allies.

Adesina, who served as the chairman of Ewekoro Local Government between 2021 and 2024, had earlier been summoned by the Ogun State House of Assembly (OGHA) to defend himself over the allegations levelled against him where he admitted to leasing some acres of the land in dispute to his political associates and family members for 99 years.

While defending himself before the Ogun State House of Assembly’s Committee on Public Accounts and Anti-Corruption, chaired by Hon Bello Oluwadamilare, Adesina named the incumbent House of Reps (HoR) member as one of the primary beneficiaries, stressing that this was done with the approval of the Finance and General Purpose Committee (FIGPC) of the Ewekoro LGA.

But in the petition addressed to the Lagos Zonal Command of the anti-graft agency and dated 23rd September 2024, a copy of which was obtained by LEADERSHIP in Abeokuta, the state capital, the group asked the EFCC to investigate Adesina for alleged fraudulent leasing of the LG’s land measuring 1482.676 square meters and worth N1.5 Billion without following due process.

According to the petition, the former LG chairman used his office “to illegally transfer the local government’s large expanse of land to his family members and political allies.

The group stated further that one of the antics used to carry out the fraudulent act was to request a land lease from the local government under the watch of Adesina by a hotel certified to be owned by the HoR member, Hon Ibrahim Isiaka under the pretence of using the land to construct a skill acquisition centre for the LGA.