One of the hottest issues bothering Ikorodu people and the various tiers of government of recent has been insecurity. The hydra headed challenge has centered on armed robbery, pipe line vandalism and military, cultism and land grabbing. These matters have consequently attracted frequent mention in Oriwu Sun Newspaper in form of stories, photos, columns, readers’ comments etc.
The Publisher of Oriwu Sun, Alhaji Monzor Olowosago, was in Makkah for this year’s Haj and the ghost of his profession followed him there. As he was chatting with a lady friend at one of the Haj outings, the woman asked Monzor why he kept attacking one Chief Kamorudeen Lamina (aka Sir K.), in his paper, Oriwu Sun. She cited a top security meeting of Army, Navy, Airforce, Police, vigilante group, DSS Operatives, etc. at Ayangbure’s palace, where Sir K. was mentioned by Monzor as one of those to be dealt with because of his involvements in unwholesome acts. She even confirmed that the said Sir K was also at the Haj.
Monzor told the lady he had never met the Sir K. in person and urged her to invite the man to his hotel for an interview, which she obliged, and a mountainous looking man came calling. The first part of a powerful interview took place there while the concluding part took place at Odogunyan in Ikorodu, when the pilgrims came back from Haj. On Saturday, October 1, 2016, as the nation marked its 56th anniversary, Monzor went with three of his staff for a hot seat interview, where Sir K, a young powerful and popular man, who must have made his first million in his 30’s, gave an explosive interview on controversial security issues.
This multi-millionaire, who owns more land than even a government, spoke on cultism, land grabbing, Onyabo leaders and security in general. Enjoy the interview.
Q: Can we meet you sir?
A: I am Kamorudeen Lamina. I am from Lagos State, Akodo, Lekki |Local Government.
Q: There is an allegation that you are the force behind cultists and that you are the one giving them money to fight for land, and that unless you are eliminated from Ikorodu, there won’t be peace. How true is this sir?
A: Thank you very much. My company’s name is Omolanima Global Ventures Limited. We deal in property and we are also developers, car dealers as well as exporters and importers. Concerning the allegation about cultism, I am not a cultist and I don’t have any son that belongs to a cult group. My first born is nineteen years of age and he is schooling in Ghana. On this alleged issue of cultism, Ikorodu indigenes should go and check themselves, particularly the Baales, the Chiefs and even all the Kabiyesi.
When we talk about cultism in Ikorodu, majority of the cultists are sons of the Baales, Chiefs and Kabiyesis. The problem about cultism in Ikorodu can be traced to the indigenes of Ikorodu. When you go to Ladega area, you will see cultists there. In Odogunyan community, most of the cultists are indigenes of Odogunyan community. We had a meeting with all the elders in Odoguyan community sometimes ago, which was held at the Odogunyan Town hall. Everybody at the meeting wrote their names and we all decided at that meeting that whether you are a Baale’s son or Chief’s son in the community, if you belong to any bad society, you will be arrested by the police and everybody agreed. I was the first person, who signed the agreement paper in this community. You can ask from Honourable Mathew. We also discussed about the issue of security and the money to be used to provide the security and again, I was the first person, who donated the sum of Five hundred thousand naira (N500,000). You can also confirm this from Honourable Mathew.
I don’t have any cultist friend or family, and I don’t belong to any cult group. On the issue of Lanre Labinjo, I’ve known him since 2006 at Ogombo village in Ajah. Lanre is a land grabber and he was working with Yomi Phillips; I have necessary evidence to prove this. That period, Lanre came to Ikorodu to hire some cult guys led by Kamoru Anifowoshe (A.K.A Sir K- Ofin). They passed through Oria water down to Ajah. About fifty of them went to Ogombo Village and destroyed it. Properties worth millions of naira were also destroyed. I have all the pictures here. Then, the people of Ogombo ran down to Ikate; the then Kabiyesi of Ikate, Oba Yekini Elegushi, called those people and told them that they cannot go back to their town but assured them that he would write a letter to the Governor. At that time, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was the Governor of Lagos State. A Task Force Team was sent in a Tata Bus to Ogombo, but before they got there, they (Lanre’s Boys) had already burnt many houses and damaged some cars in the village. Some of them were arrested and charged to court.
After some years, around 2008, I and Lanre met in Ikorodu again. He wrote a petition against me to the S.S. in Shangisha and when they invited me, I went there twice, but the complainant was not around. On one of such visits, I saw Lanre within the police station’s premises. Immediately I sighted him, I asked an officer if Lanre had come there to complain against me about Ikorodu. I ask the man to oblige me the favour of taking me back to Ikorodu with their patrol vehicle to see if the people will stone or hail me when we get there. Then, after they might have done that for me, they should equally take Lanre back to Ogombo village and see whether the people will hail him or otherwise.
Then, the Director of the S.S. said we should both go back home and each of us should write a report on the other. We went back as instructed and later, I submitted my own report with the pictures of the damages done in Ogombo by Lanre’s boys. When the Director saw it, he said I should await his next action and since then, Lanre hadn’t gone back to that place. Rather, he started writing different petitions and false allegations against me. At every security meeting, he never ceases to allege that ‘Sir K’ is behind all the problems and troubles in Ikorodu. So many policemen had invited me for interrogation on this issue. I would have faced him but for the respect I have for Kabiyesi because if I write anything against him, Kabiyesi would assume that I am against the community’s security.
This time around, I won’t take it easy with him. Nobody is above the law. There is no constitution in Nigeria that says you can’t build houses in Ikorodu nor have the right to stay there, or because you are not an indigene of Ketu, you don’t have the right to stay in Ketu. I know that Lanre isn’t a full-fledged indigene of Ikorodu. It’s one of his parents that must have hailed from Ikorodu while the other should be from Ogombo. Let Kabiyesi invite both of us and ask us to recount what we know about each other and let’s see who will be seen as a criminal. During the time of the general elections, Lanre came to Odogunyan here; we were together for some hours and I gave him money. He can’t say because he has one illegal gun and he belongs to a group called Onyabo, he could accuse me falsely or threaten me. He can’t assassinate me.
People do come to my office to tell me how Lanre, in the presence of Kabiyesi (Ayangbure of Ikorodu), always malign my character. He was allegedly quoted of saying that unless Sir K is killed, Ikorodu will not be peaceful. I have already called my family from my mother’s side and informed them about this. My brother, Oba Adeniyi, who is the Elefire of Efire land, had equally been informed about Lanre’s threat on my life because I am also a Chief in Efire town. I’m the Agba Akin of Efire land. I am also the Bobagunwa of Imakun-Omi, Jagunmolu of Agege and the Olumofin of Ketu-Epe in Lagos State here.
I really appreciate Oriwu Sun for coming here today to interview me on this issue, but let us ensure that Kabiyesi knows about the fact of this matter by calling me and Lanre for an interrogation. Lanre is a land-grabber and he is also a cultist. Do you know a boy called Taye-Ota? He and other notorious cultists are Lanre’s boys. These guys have so many criminal cases in Ikorodu. You can confirm this from SARS, Ipakodo division. They recovered guns from them and also charged them for robbery recently, but Lanre used his power and connections to get them out on bail. I heard that at the next adjournment, they remanded them and refused them bail. They just came back a month ago. There is another popular land-grabber called Kamoru Anifowoshe (aka Sir K Ofin), who is also working with Lanre, but anytime Lanre is with Kabiyesi, he says another thing entirely. He won’t tell him (Kabiyesi) the real story, but I am awaiting his next action. Maybe when next he sees my vehicle on the road, he will attack me. It is then he will know that nobody is above the law. The message he passed to me, I have already passed it to my Lawyer.
Q: What is the message?
A: He said he will make sure he kills me in this Ikorodu but I know nobody can kill me except God. You cannot see any cultist in my office. If you come here on Monday to Saturday in the morning around 9a.m, you will see Ikorodu indigenes, both the Chiefs and the Baales in my office.
Q: What is the relationship between you and the Baales/Chiefs because we heard that anytime they quarrels with one another, they do come to you to resolve their differences, and after that, they give you a land gift ?
A: I am not the Kabiyesi of this land; so nobody can come here to settle dispute. If you see any family in this office, it might be that they want to sell some property. It is not only land we buy and sell in this office, we also deal in houses. This year alone, we’ve bought up to three houses along this First gate axis, which we renovated and let out as hostels. If you go to the Lasunwon area, you will see O.G.V. hostels there; I bought the houses through Access bank. Also, opposite my office here, near that Sheriff hotel, you will see a new duplex there; I bought the land Eight Million Naira. Off this street is Adegboye street; I bought two plots of land there for almost fifteen million naira as well as the house I am living in at Odogunyan (No. 1, Obagunle Close). I bought it from the Oduyebo family but I just decided this year that I would turn the place to a shopping complex.
I bought another plot of land at the back of my house here in Odogunyan. If you go there now, my people are working there. I bought the land for nine million naira. So, why woild I be snatching other people’s properties, when I have so many properties with their genuine documents intact?
Q: Why do people mention the name Sir K whenever the issue of land grabbing and cultism come up? Some Baales alleged that you always sponsor boys to hijack lands.
A: I don’t have any relationship with the land-grabbers, and if you see any Baale with me here in my office or any other place, it is because he has come to transact a legal business with me. Why do you think the issue of Ajagungbale is gaining deadlier grounds in Ikorodu? It is because some of the Baales and Chiefs are greedy. They sell the same plot of land to four or more people; afterwards, trouble brews. I thank God that the Lagos State Government has promulgated a new law on Land issues. With this law, I’m certain all allegations against me will fizzle out. When you call yourself Omo-Onile and you sell a plot of land to three people, there is penalty for it now. If you call yourself Olori-Ebi or Baale and you hire Ajagungbale, there is law to deal with such act now.
I am not a land-grabber. I have a legitimate business and the name of my company is Omolamina Global Ventures Limited. If you check the frontage of my office, you will see tractors there. If you want to clear a land you’ve just bought, we can help you. You can go to the Redeem Christian Church of God at Mowe in Ogun State to confirm my working relationship with the church. I’ve won quite a number of contracts from them for the past three years, particularly on the construction of their new Auditorium.
Q: People assert that you made the bulk of your money through the work you did for the Redeem Christian Church of God at their headquarters in Mowe, Ogun State. Is that true?
A: Yes, it is true. Sometimes, the church gives me the contract to clear one thousand acres of land. For one acre of dry land, I do charge One Hundred Thousand Naira, but if it is a swampy land, I do it at the rate of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira per acre. If you calculate that, you know how much that will be. I have the necessary machines to do such work.
Q: What can people do to get on your nerves?
A: The only thing people can do to annoy me is when they blackmail me or make false allegations against me.
Q: Let’s go back to the issue of Remi, the former D.P.O of Igbogbo Police Station. When a cultist, popularly called Cyan, was killed last year, it was alleged that you accused both the DPO and Lanre for being responsible for the murder because the guy was one of the boys you hire for your land grabbing business. Hence, when his death could not be accounted for, you orchestrated the arrest of Lanre and DPO Remi. What exactly happened at that time?
A: Thank you very much. On the issue of the D.P.O. of Igbogbo and me, both of us did not have any arguments. The Police are everyone’s friend. Sometimes last year, I went to Igbogbo Police Station playground, where the burial ceremony of one man called Tijani, popularly known as Panko, who lived at Anibaba in Ikorodu, was being held. Before I settled down for the party, I went to greet the D.P.O.
I later got a call from Chief Sulaiman Ogidi while I was in Abeokuta concerning Lanre and D.P.O. Remi’s arrest. I told him my sister (Olori Ojora) had already called me concerning the issue. I later called Kabiyesi (Oba Shotobi) to inform him that I was in Abeokuta when he called me earlier, and I also told him that I got his message but I don’t know anything about the issue. He, however, mandated me to go to Panti whether I know about the arrest or not. He said I must work for the community. I went to Panti with Chief Ogidi and Lawyer Gbenga Hassan. We met and talked to O.C. Homicide and he said we should tell Kabiyesi to meet with the C.P.O.
I later heard that the family of the deceased went to Panti to make a statement that Lanre had earlier said that he would make sure he kills the boy. This was the point the family of the boy held onto and demanded that the police should probe Lanre. We left Panti on that day by 6p.m and I later called Kabiyesi to give him the feedback of our visit to Panti on the issue. I don’t know the boy in question or his family. I thank God that at the end of it all, Kabiyesi and his Chiefs said one man at Lagos Island was behind the matter. As a result of the rancor between Lanre and me, he (Lanre) always mention my name anytime there is a criminal issue in Ikorodu, but I want to use this opportunity to tell Kabiyesi to call me and him to his palace so that we can both explain everything we know about each other.
Q: What is the relationship between you and the police because they said you know almost all the police in Abuja?
A: I don’t go to Abuja often; I don’t bid for contract in Abuja. Police is a friend to everybody. I know that nobody is above the law. If I have anything in my cupboard or any relationship with any cultist, one of them would have mentioned my name all the while Lanre had been accusing me of being their sponsor. In my company, I have sacked two of my staff and also wrote personally to the police about their behaviours. I don’t want anybody to tarnish my image.
You can ask about my personality from the Baale in Odogunyan or Honourable Mathew, who is the Chairman of Yago Vigilante Group in this Odogunyan. As Ikorodu uses Onyabo, we use Yago here, but because of Lanre’s personal grudge against me, he always makes false allegations about my person each time he has the opportunity.
Q: Is it true that you bought cars for all the Area Commanders in Ikorodu?
A: I have a place where I sell cars and I have my managers, who manage the place. You cannot see me there. I also have managers who oversee my hotels. I have several managers in charge of my properties too. I have managers concerning rentage of bulldozers. If anyone wants to make any allegations about me giving policemen cars, he should know the number of the vehicle, the colour of the vehicle, and the names of the policemen; then, put it on paper. I still have a brother, who does not have a car. It’s my responsibility to give him a car.
Lanre mentioned that I do buy cars for the cultists. He should go with a policeman to arrest one of them in order to investigate the type of transaction between us that would warrant my giving him a car. If you go to my company where I sell cars, you will see that I do buy my cars from overseas. They are all imported cars. I came back from Germany a month before I went for hajj and I bought ninety cars. My containers will arrive here on October 4, 2016. It is not only cars I bought; I also bought different kinds of goods. I have genuine documents to back all the businesses I transact with people. I know how many contracts I have received from Redeem Church this year. Lanre should not make any trouble with me.
Q: You have so many property investments; how do you monitor them and how did you establish your wealth?
A: Anywhere I have any property, the documents will be at the administration department. We have up to four Lawyers in this company. Apart from this office, we have a bigger office along this road, near Kadesh filling station in Odogunyan, and by the grace of God, before December 30 this year, I will open my own personal company in Ikorodu Central. I don’t want Lanre to make any stupid allegations behind my back. If he has any allegations against me, he should say it in my presence.
Q: Do you still hope for more successes despite what you have achieved so far?
A: I thank God for all He has done for me. My prayer to Him is that when I’m fifty (50) years, I will not do any work again. I am now forty eight (48) years of age, and by the grace of God, I will be forty nine (49) by April 22, 2017. I have up to twenty (22) houses in Lagos State and I have one hotel in Ikorodu, but I want to open another one at Ajah very soon.
Q: How many wives do you have?
A: I have three (3) wives and six (6) children.
Q: What do you want God to do for you?
A: I want God to give me long life, more prosperity and good health.
Q: What is the relationship between you and Paul Palmer (aka Aplow)?
A: I don’t have any relationship with Aplow but I know he has two plots of land in Odogunyan here and he has already sold it to one man. There is another plot, which belongs to one Abioye; he sold it to one of my boys, Sule Onabanjo, but Aplow came back and said he wanted to collect the land back by force and I said no because the land is supposed to be bought by the entire Odogunyan community. So, I told him we will use the land for garage. That is the only thing between me and him.
Q: How do you provide your security?
A: God is my security. Some people, who used to mention my name, don’t know me personally. I was in Ikorodu six months ago; I sat somewhere with some people and they were talking ill of Sir K. I asked them which of the Sir Ks they were referring to because there are many Sir Ks in Ikorodu. We have Sir K Legba, Sir K. Ofin and so many others, but they responded that they were talking about Sir K Oluwo at Odogunyan. Then, I introduced myself as the Sir K they have been talking about. They were shocked.
The Sir K that committed the crime they were talking about is not me. My name is Kamorudeen Lamina. So many petitions have been written against Sir K Ofin and Sir K Legba but people continue to refer to my own Sir K.
Q: What is your best food?
A: My best food is rice or Ikokore.
Q: What is your impression about Oriwu Sun Newspaper and the Publisher?
A: I had to run down from Ogun State immediately I was informed of your team’s arrival at my office. Oriwu Sun Newspaper is a nice paper. You know there are some papers that do hear one side of a story but will not balance such story by hearing the other side. This is the second time I will be meeting with the Publisher. We first met during Hajj this year.
Q: We learnt from Lanre that during the time Onyabo was being launched at Ikorodu Town hall, you came there with your boys and one man called Achebe to cause trouble. Is it true?
A: Lanre is not an Onyabo member. When they wanted to start this Onyabo, Honourale Mathew and Chief Bombata called me and I went with my P.A. and my driver to Ikorodu. I am a founding member of Onyabo. We later came back to Odogunyan to name our own Yago. Try to investigate what I am telling you very well. I am not a cultist or their sponsor. Even policemen from SARS do call me to help them investigate some people in Ikorodu. So, concerning your question, it is a false allegation. Ask him that when such thing happened, which of the nearest police stations did he reported to. I know my contributions towards the creation and progress of both Onyabo and Yago vigilante groups.
Q: Since you’ve been accused of being the godfather of cultists in Ikorodu and also a land grabber, what has been your attempt in reaching out to the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, either the late or the present one to clear yourself from all these criminal allegations?
A: I met the late Ayangbure on several occasions on this issue and he used to ask me several questions, and from my responses, he knew that people had been accusing me wrongly. The new Ayangbure had also called me once and when I met with him, I explained my own side of the story to him. Lanre is a land-grabber. Go to Atere village at Agbowa; Lanre is working there. Go to Igbosoro village; you will see Lanre’s boys there. I can face Lanre anywhere to tell him he is a land-grabber. If you see Lanre, ask him who Yomi Philips is.
Q: Last July, we had a terrible situation around Ikorodu and in Odogunyan axis down to Ogijo during the marking of the seven seven (7/7) anniversary by the cultists. The following month, it was the eight/eight (8/8) anniversary and the whole place was paralysed as if there was a war. How come the combination of the Onyabo, the Yago, the army and the police could not stop the whole problem?
A: On the 8/8 day, I was not in Nigeria. I was in Germany. You can confirm that from my international passport. But during the 7/7 incident, I was in Nigeria. Immediately we got the information, I called O.C SARS at Ipakodo and he deployed up to twenty (20) SARS officers to our area in collaboration with the Shagamu Road police station and our people here (Yago). On that day, I slept around 1a.m. Those guys couldn’t operate well here; as a result, they went down to Ogun State in Igbosoro and Emuren side. Immediately they started there, we called the D.P.O. Ogijo and he and his boys went to Emuren.
Q: What message do you want to pass to the people of Ikorodu community?
A: The message I want to pass to the people of Ikorodu is that the Baales and the Chiefs should call their children and warn them. If you really want to know if I have any skeleton in my cupboard, after today, come to Odogunyan and ask anybody about me. I am very free and close to my people. If you ask anyone of them about Sir K’s whereabouts, they will ask you if you want to go to his office or his house. I am not a criminal. I wouldn’t have granted you this interview if I had any skeleton in my cupboard.
Q: The Governor of the State is aware of this issue because there was one occasion when your name was mentioned during a meeting with him. What message do you want to pass to the Governor?
A: My message to the Governor is that I am not a land-grabber. I am a legitimate businessman. The reason they mentioned my name in the presence of the Governor was because of one man called Elebute. I leased a land somewhere for thirty (30) years while his own thirty (30) years leasing of a particular property from the same place had expired and by the time I started work on my own land, he used his connection in the state government to invite the Task Force to the place. He later said that Lagos State Government had recovered 250 acres from an Ajagungbale. I called press conference and told the world that I am not a land-grabber but a businessman and that I bought the land from the Ayangbade’s family in Ogombo village.
Later, while I was in Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj, I was told that the same Elebute wrote a petition against me and that they’ve already charged some members of the Ayangbade family to court. I called and briefed my Lawyer immediately on the matter and I equally made everyone connected to the matter to realise that the issue does not concern me.
Q: Thank you for granting us this interview
A: You are welcome