What to Know About Tinubu’s Crackdown On Alleged Land Racketeering in Lagos

President Bola Tinubu recently launched a sweeping crackdown on illegal land allocations and unauthorised development in Lagos, ordering the immediate revocation of licenses for projects on federal road setbacks and infrastructure corridors.

The president announced the move last Thursday during the commissioning of the Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road monitored by EKO HOT BLOG.

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The crackdown follows shocking revelations of one of the biggest alleged land racketeering and money laundering schemes ever uncovered in the state.

“I’m glad the deputy governor [Obafemi Hamzat] of Lagos State is here,” Tinubu said in a pointed remark. “Take it that we will revoke all those approvals given on the setback… and please note that we are very serious about it.”

The President directed the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to collaborate with the Surveyor General of the Federation and all state governors to halt further encroachments, warning that any state approval for federal infrastructure corridors must now go through proper federal channels.

“Please, our dear governors, let’s work together. Don’t give planning approvals without without collaborating with the Surveyor General of the Federation and the Ministry of Works on these roads. Please, I appeal to you,” he urged.

President Bola Tinubu at the commissioning of the Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road where he hinted at his administration’s crackdown on alleged Lagos land racketeering

EFCC investigates Alleged Land Racketeering in Prime Lagos Locations

Tinubu’s order came on the heels of a SaharaReporters report revealing a vast network of fraudulent land deals involving the Lagos State Government and federal officials. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), acting swiftly, issued a letter dated May 16, 2025, requesting comprehensive records from the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

At the heart of the investigation are 14 companies that allegedly received questionable allocations across Lagos’ most valuable waterfronts: Banana Island, Lagos Lagoon, Osborne Foreshore, and Lekki.

Among the firms listed are Walaris Nigeria Limited (572 hectares at Lagos Lagoon), Pranav Contracting Nigeria Limited (254 hectares at Banana Island), and Grace Waters (115 hectares in Lekki).

Others listed are Marathon Infrastructure West Africa Limited, which got 10.27 hectares of land at Osborn Foreshore Phase; Spa Dredging Company Limited, which got 80.997 hectares of land at Orange Island; Bull Construction Limited, with 20 hectares of land at Onikoyi Waterfront; Banana Island Higherend Castle Limited, with 96 hectares of land at Banana Island.

The EFCC’s letter, signed by Ahmed Ghali, Acting Director of its Lagos Zonal Directorate, cites potential violations ranging from conspiracy and abuse of office to money laundering.

EFCC officials are investigating alleged land racketeering in Lagos

The agency invoked its statutory powers to request Certified True Copies of development permits, equity structures, and revenue-sharing agreements tied to these allocations.

The EFCC noted that the request was made pursuant to Section 38 (1) and (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 and Section 24 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Federal government aims to reclaim control, protect future infrastructure

Beyond the criminal probe, Tinubu’s decision signals a broader effort to reassert federal control over urban planning in Nigeria’s commercial hub, especially on high-value coastal land. He emphasized the need to preserve infrastructure corridors and ensure adequate setbacks for future expansions, calling the protection of such spaces a “legacy responsibility.”

“No more approval for those islands being created illegally,” the President declared, hinting at a sweeping purge of rogue developments along the coastline.

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Observers, who spoke with EKO HOT BLOG, view the move as a test case for institutional accountability and perhaps a signal that the federal government will no longer tolerate the unchecked commodification of public assets in the name of development.

Philip Ibitoye is a Special Correspondent with EKO HOT BLOG. Click here for daily analysis and insight on trending issues in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria. 

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