Popular Lagos socialite, Olaseni Olayinka, widely known as Abu Abel, has been arrested by operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, over an alleged ₦477 million land fraud.
The arrest came after a petition was filed by Doyin Investment Group of Companies, accusing Abu Abel of fraudulently selling three plots of land situated on Augustina Orji Street, within the Ojomu Chieftaincy Family land in Oke-Arin Village, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.
According to the petition, the complainant purchased Plots 1, 4, and 10—measuring approximately 1,800 square metres—for a total of ₦447 million in 2023. A deed of assignment was duly signed, but it was later discovered that the land had already been encumbered by prior claims.
Police sources revealed that Abu Abel admitted knowledge of the encumbrance and refunded ₦230 million, but failed to pay the remaining ₦217 million. He reportedly signed a written undertaking on January 11, 2024, to refund the balance and even pledged a property in Lekki as collateral. However, he allegedly defaulted on the agreement.
Efforts to apprehend him initially proved difficult, as he reportedly went into hiding at a private residence in Victoria Island. He was eventually arrested after weeks of surveillance and intelligence operations by the FCID tactical team.
In a statement, the police disclosed that the suspect filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit in a bid to stall his arrest and disrupt the investigation process. Despite this, law enforcement recovered key pieces of evidence from him, including receipts of payment, the deed of assignment, and communication records between both parties.
The case has taken a darker turn as Abu Abel is also under investigation for alleged links to a notorious cult group said to be involved in land grabbing, criminal intimidation, and fraud in Lagos and Ogun states.
He is expected to be arraigned soon on charges ranging from obtaining money under false pretence, criminal breach of trust, to conspiracy to defraud.
Meanwhile, the complainant has called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure that justice is served and the outstanding funds fully recovered.
This isn’t Abu Abel’s first brush with land controversies. Earlier in 2024, he publicly accused unnamed powerful individuals of attempting to forcefully take over his property in Silicon Estate, Eti-Osa, alleging that some government officials ignored a court order halting activity on the disputed land.
