EXCLUSIVE: Tinubu Furious With Governor Sanwo-Olu Over Illegal Land Allocations In Lagos' Banana Island

A simmering political crisis has erupted in Lagos as President Bola Tinubu has expressed deep anger at Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu over the illegal allocation of 96 hectares of prime land in Banana Island to developers connected to political insiders.

Sources told SaharaReporters that the fallout from the land deals has triggered political manoeuvring and tense negotiations within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos.

According to insiders, the situation worsened when Governor Sanwo-Olu allegedly sold land belonging to Tinubu himself, intensifying the President’s frustration.

“This is why Tinubu reversed the removal of Speaker Mudashiru Obasa,” one source revealed. “The illegal land allocations and the sale of his own land pushed him to act.”

Political Fallout Over Obasa’s Impeachment

Speaker Obasa was impeached on January 13, 2025, after allegations of misconduct and financial impropriety. His removal was spearheaded by rival factions in the Lagos Assembly, which replaced him with Mojisola Meranda—the first female Speaker in the state’s history.

Obasa, a staunch Tinubu ally, soon became a rallying point in the emerging power struggle. Tinubu, unhappy with the political risk posed by Obasa’s ousting, intervened and pressured lawmakers to reverse the decision. After 49 days, Obasa was reinstated, and Meranda returned to her role as Deputy Speaker.

Tinubu’s Strained Ties With Sanwo-Olu

On June 8, President Tinubu and his wife, Remi, met privately with Speaker Obasa. In contrast, Governor Sanwo-Olu was only granted an audience in the presence of Lagos Governance Advisory Council (GAC) leaders, who pleaded on his behalf.

Sources said this protocol reflected Tinubu’s displeasure. At a recent Lagos event, Tinubu had publicly snubbed Sanwo-Olu, fueling speculation about a deepening rift.

Speaking after the meeting, Sanwo-Olu dismissed the feud rumours, telling reporters: “Father and son always resolve things. There is nothing wrong at all.”

Tinubu Moves To Revoke Illegal Land Deals

To address the scandal, Tinubu is reportedly pushing for the revocation of the illegal land allocations made by Sanwo-Olu’s administration and allies.

“Tinubu is moving to revoke those allocations as part of the political settlement,” a source confirmed.

Last week, Tinubu had already ordered the cancellation of unauthorised approvals for islands and developments on federal road setbacks and infrastructure corridors during the commissioning of the Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road.

Federal Investigators Probe Land Racketeering

As SaharaReporters previously revealed, federal investigators are probing what appears to be one of the largest land racketeering and money laundering schemes involving the Lagos State Government and some federal officials.

On May 16, the EFCC formally requested detailed records from the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development regarding suspicious land allocations in key Lagos areas such as Banana Island, Lekki, Osborne Foreshore, and Lagos Lagoon.

The EFCC letter, signed by its Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 Acting Director Ahmed Ghali, cited an “alleged case of conspiracy, abuse of office, and money laundering.”

The anti-graft agency demanded Certified True Copies of development permits, certificates of occupancy, equity structures, revenue-sharing agreements, and other documents relating to the land allocations.

List Of Companies Involved

The EFCC identified 14 companies allegedly involved in the scheme. These include:

• Walaris Nigeria Limited – 572.735 hectares (Lagos Lagoon)

• Tafba Nigeria Limited – 60.8 hectares (Lagos Lagoon)

• Pranav Contracting Nigeria Limited – 254 hectares (Banana Island)

• Meroni Nigeria Limited – 25.33 hectares (Lagos Lagoon)

• Marlot Eagle Island – 100.06 hectares (Banana Island)

• Marina Del Ray – 68 hectares (Water Lagoon)

• Marathon Infrastructure West Africa Limited – 10.27 hectares (Osborne Foreshore Phase)

• Spa Dredging Company Limited – 80.997 hectares (Orange Island)

• Bull Construction Limited – 20 hectares (Onikoyi Waterfront)

• Banana Island Higherend Castle Limited – 96 hectares (Banana Island)

• Grace Waters – 115 hectares (Lekki)

• Grace Point – 100 hectares (Lekki)

• Gold Island – 261.403 hectares (Banana Island)

Ongoing Investigation

The EFCC’s probe aims to uncover whether these companies were granted proper development permits, and whether revenue-sharing and ownership structures violated anti-money laundering and anti-corruption laws.

The investigation continues amid growing public calls for transparency and accountability in Lagos’ land administration.