Ejigbadero was sentenced to death in the 1970s after he was found guilty of killing one Raji Oba.
Abiodun and Tajudeen, children of Lagos socialite and notorious land grabber, Jimoh Ishola, also known as Ejigbadero have been accused of land grabbing, intimidation and misuse of public resources.
Ejigbadero was sentenced to death in the 1970s after he was found guilty of killing one Raji Oba.
He was said to have arranged a child naming ceremony, attended by the crème-de-la crème of society, to coincide with his murder of Oba who he hoped to dispossess of a land.
For an alibi, he pasted naira notes on the face of the invited musician for the ceremony, changed his clothes and drove, through the backdoor of his house, to go kill the victim in the farm, returned to the ceremony and continued with the event.
While alive, Ejigbadero had virtually all musicians singing his praises.
No one was able to bell the cat of where his obnoxious wealth emanated from, including a famous musician who sang that as inscrutable as it is to know how liquid enters a coconut pod, so was the mystery of Ejigbadero’s wealth.
The Nigerian Human Rights Community, (NIHRCO) a coalition of 130 civil right groups and community based groups spread across the country in a petition to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, accused the two children of the socialite of hijacking the community land in Alimosho area of Lagos State.
It also sent copies of the petition to the Senate and the House of Representatives, the United Nations Human Rights Council and the African Union, AU.
According to the rights group, it received tons of petitions against Abiodun and Tajudeen whose father was sentenced to death in 1979.
It added that if their alleged terror remains unchecked many human lives will be lost.
“For most people familiar with the story in 1979, Jimoh Ishola Ejigbadero was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court for the murder of one Raji Oba. Sabitu, wife of Oba watched as Ejigbadero rained bullets on his husband,” the petition read.
“That day, August 22, 1975, Eigbadero was at the naming ceremony of a child from where he sneaked out to shoot dead Raji Oba. The naming ceremony had top military officers, policemen and politicians and in attendance. It was the alibi he needed to prove he was not at the scene of the murder at Alimosho, Lagos. But in 1979 their Lordships of the Supreme Court, Alexander, Bello, Fatai Williams, Idigbe affirmed the judgement. Ejigbadero was sentenced to death in a celebrated case.
“Today, the child whose naming ceremony was being celebrated in 1975 during which Ejigbadero sneaked to commit murder, is now the subject of controversy in the same Alimosho where villagers now link him up with land grabbing, threat to life and disappearances and allegations of murder.
“The Nigerian Human Rights Community, NIHRCO insists that the Nigerian Government must live up to her obligations to the regional and international Human Rights conventions relating to the protection of Human lives and property.
“We have received reports from several land owners and community leaders claiming that the said Ejigbadero is not allowing them to breath. He appears to have rekindled the murderous tradition of his father. We have received tons of petitions bordering on land grabbing, threat to live and property and outright seizure of land and properties that do not belong to Mr Ejigbadero.
“Abiodun Ejigbadero and Tajudeen Ejigbadero Adeyinka, two children of the late criminal are said to be the children of the infamous murderer and notorious land grabber, Jimoh Isola Adeyemi Ejigbadero. The senior Eyigbadero had left the scene of the ceremony to sneak out only to be discovered that he had gone to execute the murder of an innocent person in Akowonjo to murder “Raji Oba” using the current Abiodun’s naming ceremony as an alibi.
“Alimosho is facing a tough situation under two village tyrants, children of Ejigbadero, who holds the community in awe. They take over land at gun point. They attack people. They even encroach on the land belonging to the state governments. Alimosho is under siege by the menacing terror of two children of a murderer’, the NIHRCO said in the statement signed by its officials Mallam Audu Samali, Uche Maduka and Babajide Aluko.”
The group said the cell of terror ran by the Ejigbadero brothers is backed by armed men, politicians and security operatives.
“They have imposed fear and trembling on residents, the group said adding that the police in Alimosho are trying their best to curtail the excesses of the armed gang but need the moral boost of the IG. No fewer than 20 cases of land grabbing are linked to the Ejigbadero brothers.
“Abiodun and Tajudeen Ejigbadero run an armed syndicate that specialises in harassing and threatening people with death after their land had been taken by force. The two are said to own a property company named “Jimsol Heritage properties” located at No 7 Abiodun Ejigbadero Avenue off Alimosho road Iyana-Ipaja.
“Their ring leader, Abiodun also owns “Ejigbadero Heritage” managed by Tajudeen Ejigbadero Adeyinka at 20 Benesther Street, Akowonjo located in Lagos. We call on the Inspector General of Police, to investigate the alleged link with officials of the Lagos State Government.
“The trademark of the Ejigbadero is encroaching of open spaces, land grabbing of private properties, extortion of community during new constructions or renovations of property. The crime cartel also specialises in seizing recreational areas converted to personal property or sold.”
It noted that some of the land taken over included those located on Adesina, Jimoh Akinremi and a popular space called Kuwait.
“Williams layout was already approved by the Lagos State Government as a recreation centre, but Eyigbadero has encroached on it with impunity. Not too long ago, his armed men shot at officials of the Lagos State Government who had visited to demolish the illegal building.
“We bring to your notice that the Ejigbadero muskateers have, with armed men invaded a vast Area of Land of which originally belonged to one Akapo of Agege Village under the Yoruba Customary Law by reason of act of first occupation.
Some of those areas that face imminent threat from Ejigadero are the Akapo under the Yoruba Customary Law sold a vast area of Land out of his land to one Iwolowa of Igosun, Ago Owu, Abeokuta.
“The said Iwolowa died about the year 1930 and left children on who the property sold to him devolved on as Family property under the Yoruba Customary Law. By virtue of a Conveyance dated 23rd of May 1931 and registered as No 139 at Page 324 in Volume 111(colony) of the Register of Deeds kept at the Lands Registry, Lagos, Kelani Iwolowa, Adebayo Iwolowa and Lateju as Head, Principal members and accredited representatives of the Iwolowa Family conveyed the land to one Vincent Jaou Anjou.”