Hoodlums Seize Lagos Property, Demand Ransom – Adenuga Family Cries Out

The family of prominent businessman, Otunba Olanrewaju Adenuga, has petitioned the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Moshood Jimoh, over the alleged forceful takeover of their property in Ikeja by hoodlums who, they claim, have vandalised assets, issued death threats, and demanded ransom.

In a formal complaint filed through their lawyers, Brookgreen LP, the Adenugas accused nine suspects of invading their property at No. 113, Awolowo Way, Ikeja, earlier this year. The gang allegedly destroyed fittings worth over ₦2 million and carted away construction materials valued at ₦8 million.

According to the family, the suspects went further to lease out parts of the premises to roadside traders and turned the location into a base for criminal activities such as the sale and smoking of Indian hemp, alcohol consumption, and other illicit gatherings. They also claimed that engineers sent to begin development work were seized by the gang, with one suspect allegedly demanding ransom before their release.

The Adenugas said the gang’s leader even demanded ₦800,000 and annual “gifts” of goats before agreeing to vacate the land. More disturbingly, the suspects were alleged to have openly boasted of cult membership and repeatedly threatened to eliminate Otunba Adenuga and his household.

In one incident described as “chilling”, Otunba Adenuga alleged that he narrowly escaped a violent attack by the gang in the presence of police officers, who were overpowered during the confrontation.

“This is not just a case of trespass but a sustained campaign of intimidation, theft, and attempted murder that has left our client in constant fear for his life,” the family stated.

They have now appealed to the Lagos State Police Commissioner to order the immediate arrest and prosecution of the suspects, warning that their continued occupation of the property poses a threat not only to their safety but also to public order in Ikeja.

The family further stressed that the case reflects a wider trend of brazen property invasions across Lagos, often driven by gangs who operate under the cover of cult groups to terrorise law-abiding citizens.

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