Temitope Sufwan Ogungbo, the Supervisor for Education at Ibeju Lekki Local Government, has been accused of orchestrating a violent attack on his brother, Israel Balogun, amid a bitter land dispute that has torn their family apart.
The alleged conflict, rooted in the land their late father left behind, escalated into a brutal assault that has left Israel hospitalised and traumatised. According to Israel, the very person meant to protect and educate the community—his brother—led the charge that nearly cost him his life.
What started as a disagreement over land boundaries turned into a horrifying episode of violence and betrayal.
Israel recounted, with a voice heavy with emotion: “My name is Israel Balogun, the person that did this to me is Honorable Sofwan Ogungbo, Supervisor of Education, Igando Oloja Ibeju Lekki. There is a land that my father gave to us and my senior brother decided to sell the land which I said no, that he should not sell the land.”
Israel said he stood his ground, trying to defend what he believed was his rightful inheritance and legacy.
“If at all you want to sell the land, I am not selling my own portion,” he stated that he told his brother.
But standing firm came at a grave cost. Israel described how things took a wrong turn when Temitope allegedly insisted the land would be sold—with or without his consent—and threatened to use force.
He said, “He told me that he would go to the council to bring Folumo and other ‘area boys’ (thugs) that they were planning to fence the land. I insisted that he should not fence my own portion but he can go ahead to fence his own.
“Because of my refusal, he, alongside his boys, attacked me. He brought thugs, area boys, and cultists to attack me.”
The fear in his voice was palpable as he described how his brother’s influence made him feel helpless in seeking justice.
“The supervisor told me that he is the one that controls police stations and also the council chairman, Honorable JaJa, is at his beck and call.
“He also boasted that the traditional ruler of the community was at his beck and call. I was told that I would not be able to do anything, if not, I would be killed.”
Despite the intimidation, Israel tried to pursue justice, dragging himself to Area J Police Station at Elemoro in a desperate attempt to report the threats. But he claims that decision may have provoked another wave of violence.
“I went to the police station at Area J at Elemoro, they now referred me to Akodo Police Station,” he said.
“When I came back, I saw some boys again, at night around 11 p.m., they attacked me with knife and stabbed me everywhere. Due to this, I was rushed to the hospital.”
Now lying in a hospital bed, his face wrapped in thick brown bandages, Israel is physically broken and emotionally drained.
His eyes, filled with pain and disbelief, tell a story of betrayal that words can barely capture. And yet, even in his suffering, he musters the strength to speak—not just for himself, but for justice.
Adding to his heartbreak is the fact that his wife had just given birth to twins. As he battles both physical wounds and psychological scars, he lives in constant fear of further attacks, unsure if the next one will be his last.
Desperation has driven him to call on the conscience of the nation, fearful of what may happen if left alone to fight a man he claims wields power unchecked.
“I am begging Nigerians to please come to my aid. I do not want to report at the Police station and I will be held there due to the influence of Temitope,” he said.
“This is not the first time he is doing this kind of thing, he is in a habit of harassing people in the community and now the threats to kill me has not ended,” he stated in the video seen by SaharaReporters.
SaharaReporters could not reach Temitope and efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer for the Lagos Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, were unsuccessful as he neither answered his calls nor responded to a text message seeking comments on the matter at the time of filing this report.