Indigenous residents have called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to provide detailed information regarding the sale of land in the Lekki Free Trade Zone to Aliko Dangote, the owner of the Dangote Refinery.
During a visit by the House of Representatives leadership on July 21, Dangote disclosed that he paid $100 million for approximately 7,000 acres to build his $20 billion refinery. This revelation contradicts claims that the land was given to him for free or at a subsidized rate.
The De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, through a letter signed by its president, Adelani Adeniji-Adele, and the secretary-general, expressed confusion over why the public was not informed about the sale and how the funds were utilized. They emphasized the lack of benefits for the host communities in Ibeju-Lekki.
“We demand detailed information on the transaction and the account used to receive the money,” the group stated. They cited Section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, which mandates public institutions to provide requested information within seven days.
The group warned that if the government did not respond within seven days, they would petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for an investigation or seek a court order against Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration.