The Baale of Ajebowale Orugbo community, High Chief Alakada Oluwatoyin has cried out against an impersonation activity against him by one Jamiu Ogunlaro, who has been reportedly terrorizing the community by sending populace off their landed properties.
According to the Baale, Jamiu Ogunlaro is laying claims to his title in order to extort people, take over landed properties and sell them to unsuspecting victims.
He revealed that there is evidence in receipts which he has used to transact business while claiming to be the Baale of the community.
He explained that Jamiu’s father leased a landed property in the community for about 55 years and is currently owing but the impersonator is currently claiming to own all the landed properties in Ajebo community, and has killed several people who dared stand in his way.
“Jamiu Ogunlaro is impersonating me, and there are evidences to back it up and the receipts he uses to extort people, we have it. We also have ID cards of the boys he used to carry out his operations.
“His father leased 7 plots of land for 55 years which elapsed in 1996, and the lawyer of the community wrote to them to pay what they owe for since 1996 but they didn’t answer him till now. It’s been thirty years now without any payment, and we are in court on that.
“When we go to the police station, they would drop the case, but when they take our people to police station, the police act.
“I became Baale in 2024 and ordained by Lagos state government, I have my certificate here, but because he calls himself Baale, everyone starts running whenever he comes around. Before now, if you wanted to enter our community, they would stop you on the road to ask of where you are going.
“Imagine him saying his father owns Ajebo, and when they got to court, he claimed his father was from Ikongba, and the lawyers asked him the same which he attested to coming from Ikonga. We will be resuming hearing soon, but the thing is, when he goes to court, they always team up with the DPP to step out of the case down sometimes.”
Also, a family member of the Ogunlaro community stated that Jamiu’s claims to landed properties is wrong because his father never bought the land, but only leased it. He revealed that he had been threatened openly by Jamiu and his cohorts.
“I’m part of the Ogunlaro family. It is not only the family that owns the landed properties in Ajebo, there are several families that own landed properties there. Jamiu is just covetous, and the land he is claiming is even on the other side of Ajebo, not the places he is currently claiming. He is threatening people too much, and I have also been threatened openly by some of his boys.”
Likewise, One of the victims of Jamiu, Olasumbo, made it known that Jamiu had sent boys to beat her blue-black on her father’s property in Ajebo community. She indicted police officers to conniving with Jamiu to wreak havoc in the community.
“Three years ago, Jamiu started claiming his father owns Orugbo and Ajebo, and this has led to the death of several people. We thought it was small but it led to a big issue. The police officers in Agbowa are also working with him because they have arrested several of our children in the community”
Reacting to the allegations, Mr. Jamiu Ogunlaro firmly denied ever parading himself as the Baale of Ajebo or extorting members of the community.
“I have never presented myself as the Baale of Ajebo, and I have never extorted anyone in the village. All the allegations against me are completely false,” he stated.
He further alleged that contrary to claims that he brought thugs into the community, he was the one attacked.
“I did not bring thugs to the community. Rather, some individuals invaded my house and destroyed many of my personal belongings. I am the victim in this situation,” he said.
Ogunlaro added that the matter is already before the court, noting that multiple cases have been filed against him.
“This issue is already in court. In fact, I have been charged in eight different courts over the same matter. So, I believe the proper place to determine the truth is before the judiciary,” he explained.
