Salami was killed on April 18, 2023, and the youths are calling for an investigation into his death and other nefarious activities of land-grabbers in the Lagos community.
Some youths in Ojomu community in Ajiranland, Eti-Osa have urged the police to probe the gruesome murder of Mr. Sheriff Salami in the community.
Salami was killed on April 18, 2023, and the youths are calling for an investigation into his death and other nefarious activities of land-grabbers in the Lagos community.
It was learnt that Salami was one of the youth leaders opposed to the land-grabbing activities of some people in the area, allegedly led by one Akeem Ahmed Tajudeen.
This is contained in a petition by Ajiran Youth Movement dated May 8, 2023, and signed by Stephen Akindele Omoyola Esq of Omoyola and Co. (Property Managers, Solicitors, Advocates and Arbitrators).
The petition stressed that there had been “harassment, threats to life, criminal defamation of character, threats to kill with Juju and witchcraft, conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace against Mr. Ahmed Tajudeen and his gang of thugs chronicled illegal activities of the gang of land-grabbers which included invasion of the house of the Balogun of Ajiran, Alhaji Yekini Olawale Bakare on December 7, 2022”.
The petition obtained by SaharaReporters on Tuesday narrated how the alleged leader of the land-grabbers led his thugs to invade the Palace of Oba Akinloye Tijani Sateru II of Ajiranland on an allegation of converting community land. He was accused of threatening to foment crisis and orchestrate the abdication of Oba Akinloye from the throne.
The petition demands immediate intervention and action by the police against the alleged continued violent activities of Tajudeen and his gang to avert imminent attacks and further harm the youth and other members of Ojomu community in Ajiranland.
The petition reads in part, "We are Counsel to the Ajiran Youth Movement, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State hereinafter referred to as "our client" and on whose behalf we write to you with respect to the following:
"One Ahmed Tajudeen, a well-known land grabber in Ojomu Community (Ajiran Land) Eti-Osa Local Government Area, while in the company of some other fellow land grabbers and thugs accosted Alhaji Yekini Olawale Bakare's house with dangerous weapons on the 7th day of December 2022,” the petition.”
It accused Tajudeen of “disfiguring the walls of Bakare’s house with unprintable words”.
"Afterwards, Ahmed Tajudeen alongside his thugs stormed the palace of Oba Akinloye Tijani Sateru II of Ajiranland, called him a traitor, accused him of supporting Alhaji Yekini Olawale Bakare in allegedly converting their properties and further threatened the said Oba to abdicate his throne or will be disgraced out of the Community.
"On the 18th day of April 2023, our client's youth leader, Sheriff Salami (now deceased), a son of the late Bashiru of Ajiranland, who was in the habit of opposing the activities of these land-grabbers in Ojomu community (Ajiran land) was gruesomely murdered in broad daylight by unknown assailants.
"Ahmed Tajudeen and his gang of thugs have acted with impunity within the community and have frustrated legitimate land owners in Ojomu Community (Ajiranland) by illegally confiscating their lands unabated.
"We hereby urge you to use your good office to investigate these allegations. We also want you to use your good office to investigate the callous killing of Sheriff Salami and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
"Sir, grievous doom awaits our client and other members of Ojomu Community (Ajiranland) should nothing be done timeously to tame Ahmed Tajudeen and his boys and we therefore beseech you to be steadfast in your intervention," it adds.
Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos in a letter dated December 12, 2022, and addressed to the Inspector General of Police, accused some indigenes of Ajiran, headed by Tajudeen of taking the law into their hands.
He said, "I wish to bring to your notice what we are experiencing in Ajah, Ogombo and Ajiran, in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State and the whole of Lagos in general.
"The activities of the so-called hoodlums in Lagos State are getting to an alarming stage despite the excellent job of both the AIG Bode Adeleke of AIG Zone 2 and CP Abiodun Alabi. CP Lagos State Police Command and some of their highly placed police officers are doing, they need to be commended.
"But the nation's state, because of the economic downturn, is now in chaos if we do not take urgent action on what may lead to the breaking down of law and order. Hence, large numbers of thugs and hooligans in Olumegbon Family Land in Ajah and Ojomu Family Land in Ajiran are becoming very alarming.
"Recently, some indigenes of Ajiran, headed by Hammed Tajudeen of Eletu Estate/the Palm Residence, Osapa and others, including Yinusa Yusuf of Bera Estate, Ajiran; Wasiu Yekini of Orchid Road/ Ibrahim Odofin Street, Ajiran; Okanla Nabitu of Hammed Tajudeen Close Ajiran and Shewu Bakare of Beta Estate Ajiran and some hoodlums, succeeded taking the laws into their hands, when they invaded the house of one Alhaji Yekini Olawale Bakare in Ajiran. When they contacted me, I reported to the CP Abiodun Alabi and AIG Bode Adeleke, and they took urgent action and prevented the breakdown of law and order in the area," he said.
However, all efforts made by SaharaReporters to speak with Mr. Tajudeen were not successful. He did not answer his calls nor reply to the text message sent to his mobile phone.