The communities also alleged that Olatunji’s lawyer and family members were denied access to him at the Ogun State Police Command headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, after his arrest.
In a statement signed by Idowu Olayanju on behalf of Iweke, Ilobi-Omuwa, Koto-Obo and Idode communities, Olatunji was reportedly arrested at about 5am on 10 November 2026 by a group of men identified by residents as plain-clothes police officers.
The statement alleged that the operation was led by an officer known as ‘Supp Bola’, adding that several residents fled in fear after initially mistaking the approaching men for armed robbers.
It further claimed that Olatunji was taken to Abeokuta, where his lawyer and relatives were denied access to him between 11am and 4pm.
According to his lawyer, Olusola Adenuga, he was informed that his client would be taken to court but was not told which court would handle the matter or the date and time of the proposed appearance.
Another lawyer involved in the case, Gbenga Adegboye, described the development as disturbing, insisting that Olatunji’s rights to legal representation and humane treatment must be respected.
Adegboye cited Sections 35 and 37 of the Police Act, arguing that suspects should be granted access to their lawyers and that a proposed court appearance should not be used as grounds for denying them legal representation.
He also argued that the police had no authority to invalidate an existing court order, maintaining that such an order remained binding until it was set aside by a court of competent jurisdiction.
The lawyer linked Olatunji’s arrest to the protracted land dispute, which he said had been characterised by reported invasions of farming communities, destruction of crops and alleged intimidation since 2025.
Among the documents cited in connection with the dispute were a restraining order issued by the Customary Court in Ilaro on 27 March 2026, correspondence dated 15 October 2026 conveying the Chief Judge’s directive on the continued validity of the order, and a government forensic boundary survey conducted on 22 October 2026.
The statement also disclosed that the traditional ruler, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, had intervened through palace-led peace and fact-finding proceedings.
The lawyers further expressed concern over the possibility that Olatunji could face allegations involving firearms. However, they acknowledged that there was no confirmation that such charges had been filed or that any evidence had been fabricated.
They demanded immediate access to Olatunji by his lawyer, confirmation of his welfare, disclosure of the grounds for his arrest, and identification of the police unit and officer responsible for his custody.
They also called for his release if there was no lawful basis for his continued detention or, alternatively, his prompt arraignment before a court of competent jurisdiction.
Other demands included the preservation of all arrest, custody, interview and search records, as well as an independent investigation into the circumstances of the arrest and the wider handling of the land dispute.
The affected communities appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, the Ogun State Governor, the state Attorney-General, the Police Service Commission and the National Human Rights Commission to intervene.
They also urged journalists, the Nigerian Bar Association and human rights organisations to investigate the longstanding land dispute and the circumstances surrounding Olatunji’s arrest.
The Ogun State Police Command had yet to respond to the allegations as of the time the statement was issued.
