PUNCH Metro reports that a lecturer at the University of Lagos, Tunde Folorunsho, has accused a landlord, Alhaji Rasheed Adetokunbo, of duping him of ₦6m in the Ipaja, Alimosho area of Lagos State.
Folorunsho paid a sum of ₦6 million to Alhaji Adetokunbo to purchase a piece of land on Adetokunbo Street in Baruwa-Cardoso, Ipaja.
However, despite receiving payment and signing a deed of assignment granting ownership of the land to Tunde Folorunsho, the landowner allegedly denied the university don access to the bought property.
41-year-old Folorunsho said: “Around February 2021, through the help of Baba Olanrewaju Yaya and Samson Ajibade, I met Alhaji Rasheed Adetokunbo, who built his house on two plots of land and said he wanted to sell part of the land for ₦6m.
“We agreed on the price and I paid ₦5m into his company’s account, Butos Ventures Limited. I paid the ₦1m balance when I took the deed to him, but he said he wanted one of his sons to witness the signing, so I demanded a receipt, which he gave me.
“He later signed the deed. However, when I wanted to commence work on the land, he told me to wait because one of his sons was about to wed”, Folorunsho revealed.
The wedding of Alhaji Adetokunbo's son was supposed to take place in April 2021. Tunde Folorunsho thought the land was going to be used for the celebration and decided to respect the former landowner's wishes.
“The wedding did not hold and I called him to take possession of the land, but he said I should wait till Eid-El-Kebir. After much pleading, I agreed. After Eid-El-Kabir, Adetokunbo called again to say that his children were fighting him for selling the land.
“He said I should wait till October, but I refused and my lawyer petitioned him and later told him to write an undertaking and give a date for me to take possession of the land. Adetokunbo said on or before December 31, 2021.
“We were waiting for the date when Yaya informed me that the Zone 2 Police Command summoned us for questioning. We visited the command on January 12, 2022, met Adetokunbo, whose lawyer, among other claims, said in a petition that I brought armed men to invade the land,” Folorunsho explained further.
Alhaji Adetokunbo confirmed that Tunde Folorunsho purchased the land from him and he also signed the deed of assignment. But he told journalists that he refused to give access to the land because there is "a little problem in the family regarding the land".
The Police said investigations are ongoing on the matter.
