Police Exonerate Real Estate Developer, Lawyer Of Alleged Forgery

The Nigeria Police Force has exonerated a real estate developer, Alex Ochonogor and his lawyer, Ademola Owolabi, of any involvement in the allegations of forgery and willful property damage.

In an investigative report signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the General Investigation Section, Force Criminal Investigation Department in Lagos, the police cleared Ochonogor and Owolabi of wrongdoing.

A certified true copy of the investigative report dated June 13, 2025, with Reference No. CB:4099/X/ADM/X/ADM/GI/T.A/VOL.6142, addressed to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Criminal Investigation Department Annexe, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi,  Lagos, was obtained by our correspondent from the police.

The real estate developer was arraigned last week before a Lagos State High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square alongside two lawyers, Ademola Owolabi, over their alleged involvement in forging land documents and demolishing property in the Lekki area.

However, unsatisfied with the first police report that led to the indictment, Ochonogor and his lawyer wrote a petition to the Commissioner of Police alleging compromised investigation, abuse of public office, shoddy investigation, and witch-hunting.

In the report, which has already been forwarded to the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution for necessary action, the police discovered that none of the documents were forged and that the appropriate government agency and officials authorised the structure’s demolition on the disputed land.

Some of the investigation’s findings are: “That on 12th July, 1994, Lagos State Government, by a Certificate of Occupancy registered as 36/361994w, allocated a Parcel of Land known and described as Block 133, Plot 10, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1 to Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, who was then the Chief Security Officer (SO) to Gen. Sanni Abacha, then Head of State.

“That Mr. Alex Ochomogor was introduced to the property at Block 133, Plot 10, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos through Agent, Donatus Eze ‘m’ a Managing Director of Trust Dede and Property Nigeria Limited of Plot 6, Udeco Road, Off Chevron Drive, Lekki, Lagos on 3rd of March, 2015.

“That Engineer Peter Omotosho of Archbond Builders Ltd confirmed to the police that the demolition notice was properly signed by himself and Mr Bode Agoro of Lagos State, and therefore it is not a forged document.

The police confirmed that the (complainant) Dr Obidigwe Eze’s deed of assignment was not signed by Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and Mr Abdul Fatai Alao Thomas. This means that the document was forged.’’

The DPP has not yet provided legal advice on the report or presented it before the trial court, which has adjourned the case to October 13, 2025.