The Ogun State Government has denied arbitrarily revoking an 11-acre parcel of land housing Constancy Farms in Obafemi/Owode Local Government Area, saying the original applicant failed to pay the assessed cost of the land within the stipulated 60-day period.
The development followed allegations by members of the late Ganiyu Busari’s family that the state government was attempting to reallocate their poultry farm in Fere Village, Jibowu, to a Chinese-owned company.
The family had appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun and President Bola Tinubu to intervene, alleging that officials and representatives of the Chinese company had subjected them and their workers to pressure and intimidation.
One of Busari’s children, Azeez Busari, said the farm was valued at more than N1bn and had facilities capable of accommodating 27,000 laying birds and 10,000 birds in a rearing pen.
He alleged that the family had valid documents supporting its acquisition of the property and had commenced payment of fees demanded by the government.
However, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, said the government’s records presented a different account.
Akinmade said the disputed parcel measured 4.646 hectares and was provisionally offered to Alhaja Adijat Busari after she applied for the allocation on January 7, 2025.
According to him, the Bureau responsible for land allocation issued a Provisional Letter of Offer on March 25, 2025, following the required site inspection and investigation.
He said the applicant received the assessment letter on April 2, 2025, with a condition that payment for the land be made within 60 days.
The government assessed the land at N334,493,200.
Akinmade said Busari did not meet the payment requirement within the stipulated period.
He said she subsequently paid N2,304,200 on June 17, 2025, but explained that the money covered ancillary statutory charges, including execution, annual ground rent, government survey, preparation and registration fees.
“It did not constitute payment towards the N334,493,200 assessed cost of the land,” he said.
According to Akinmade, the principal land charges remained unpaid and the provisional offer was consequently cancelled in accordance with its terms.
He said the applicant was formally notified of the cancellation before the parcel was made available for consideration by other investors.
Akinmade said the land was subsequently allocated to another company for industrial development after a fresh application.
He, however, said the government later offered to help the original applicant secure an alternative parcel on compassionate grounds.
According to him, meetings were held with Busari after she made representations following the cancellation, and on March 10, 2026, she was assured that the government would assist with relocation.
He added that discussions were also expected on how to address improvements already made on the original property.
Akinmade said the Bureau had not received formal notification of any further agreement reached between the parties concerning relocation or existing improvements.
The government maintained that the matter was not a case of arbitrarily revoking a fully paid allocation and handing the property to another investor.
Rather, it said the original offer was provisional and was cancelled because the assessed cost of the land was not paid within the stipulated period.
Akinmade also accused the applicant of presenting the dispute in a manner that could create the impression that the government had unlawfully taken a fully paid property.
“We believe the facts should speak for themselves. The government has nothing to hide,” he said.
The family’s allegations and the government’s response have left the dispute centred on the terms of the original land offer, payments made by the applicant and the circumstances surrounding the subsequent allocation.
