The Lagos State Ministry of Justice has ordered a fresh investigation into allegations of forgery and willful property damage levelled against real estate developer Alex Ochonogor and his lawyer, Ademola Owolabi, despite a recent police report clearing both men of wrongdoing.
In a letter dated August 22, 2025, and signed by Adeshola Adekunle-Bello, Director of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the Ministry directed the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annexe, Ikoyi, to reopen the case and interrogate additional witnesses based on new developments.
The letter, addressed to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, specifically instructed investigators to question key individuals, including Dr Obidigwe Eze and Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha.
This development comes in the wake of a second police report signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Dahiru, which found that neither Ochonogor nor Owolabi was involved in any act of forgery or illegal demolition, effectively exonerating them.
Ochonogor, alongside lawyers Ademola Owolabi and Adebayo Akeju, was arraigned before the Lagos State High Court, Tafawa Balewa Square, over allegations of document forgery and unlawful demolition of a property in Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and were subsequently granted bail by the presiding judge, Justice Serifat Sonaike, who adjourned the matter until October 13, 2025.
Dissatisfied with the initial investigation that led to their indictment, Ochonogor and Owolabi petitioned the Commissioner of Police, alleging a compromised and biased probe characterised by abuse of office and witch-hunting.
Following their petition, the police launched a review of the case, which culminated in the DCP Dahiru-led report that cleared the defendants. The findings were later forwarded to the Lagos State DPP for further review.
According to the report, the police determined that none of the disputed documents had been forged and that the Lagos State Government duly authorised the demolition of the structure on the contested land.
The investigation revealed that the land in question, Block 133, Plot 10, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, was originally allocated to Major Hamza Al-Mustapha by a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) registered as 36/36/1994w, dated July 12, 1994.
Ochonogor was said to have acquired an interest in the property through an agent, Donatus Eze, Managing Director of Trust Dede and Property Nigeria Ltd, in March 2015.
The Police also confirmed that the demolition notice was properly signed by Engineer Peter Omotosho of Archbond Builders Ltd and Mr Bode Agoro of the Lagos State Lands Bureau.
The notice was further validated through its publication in Punch Newspaper on September 11, 2009, under the signature of Mr Gbenga Ashafa, then Permanent Secretary of the Lands Bureau.
Moreover, the police report stated that Dr Eze’s deed of assignment was not signed by Major Al-Mustapha and Mr Abdul Fatai Alao Thomas, indicating that the complainant’s own document was the forged one.
The Registrar of Titles also verified that the memorandum of loss and affidavit of loss were duly registered and authentic.
Reacting to the Ministry’s directive, Lagos-based lawyer, George Obot described the fresh investigation as “a crucial step that could correct a miscarriage of justice.”
According to him, the Ministry of Justice had initially overlooked vital evidence and failed to interview key witnesses before proceeding with the prosecution.
“The earlier approach by the Ministry was hasty and failed to address core evidentiary issues. This new directive offers a chance to ensure justice is served fairly,” Obot said.
He, however, urged the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to ensure that the renewed investigation is transparent and guided strictly by the facts of the case.
#LagosJustice #ForgeryAllegation #LekkiProperty #PoliceInvestigation #RealEstate #NigeriaNews
All rights reserved. The content on this website, including text and other digital materials, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed, in whole or in part, without the express written consent of The News Accelerator Network.
For advertising inquiries, news coverage, or press releases, please get in touch with us at
📧 thenewsacceleratornetwork@gmail.com
You can also subscribe to our YouTube channels here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVELRC3WinKZ7tdmhmZaRmQ?sub_confirmation=1
إرسال تعليق