Olalekan Olabulo, Author at Sporting Tribune

Residents of Igbo Ililogbo Isefun in the Ayobo community in Lagos State and the Alori Kadunmishe have sent a Save Our Soul Message to the state governor, Babajide Sanwo Olu', to save them from hoodlums who are allegedly working for senior civil servants in the state. They accused the senior civil servants, under the aegis of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Lagos State Branch, of using thugs to constantly harass and intimidate them with a view to forcefully taking over their large expanse of land. The Alori Kidunishe family is in court challenging what was described as an illegal acquisition of their land by the Lagos State Government. The family stated that they are the owners of the entire parcel of land situated at Ilogbo, Ayobo, Lagos State, with subject matter in Suit No. ID/3274LMW/2016. They explained that "many years ago, the Lagos State government claimed to have acquired the said land without due regard to the provision of the law on acquisition of private properties." " Afterwards, the family approached the court to challenge the purported acquisition with the above suit number, which is still pending in court till the date of writing this petition." According to them, "In the said suit, Attorney General of Lagos State, Honourable Commissioner for Housing, Lagos State, and the Land Use and Allocation Committee, Lagos State, among others, were sued as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants, respectively." The petitioner noted that " The court, in line with the suit, ruled on May 24th, 2017, July 12th, 2019, and 9th, 2021, that all parties should maintain status quo to halt further demolition and gave an interlocutory injunction to that effect. " The family stressed that despite the rulings, the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and the Office of the Surveyor General are still threatening them with thugs, urchins and some members of the law enforcement agency without name tags in flagrant disobedience to the order of court to demolish and destroy properties with heavy equipment, tractors and armoured tanks." The family and the residents claimed that despite the court orders, the civil servants and their agents " have been coming frequently to the family land, disturbing and threatening the law-abiding tenants and owners with orders to vacate the place." They therefore asked the Lagos State Governor to restrain the group from making further threats and stop the placement of 'Notices' on gates, walls and fences of residents, asking them to vacate their properties for the purpose of dredging and excavation activities in the area." The family noted that apart from the suit challenging the illegal acquisition of the land, the civil servants had " instituted a five-count charge against Taiwo Anishere, a member of the family and the matter brought before His Lordship A. A. Adesanya in the Magistrate Court of Lagos State, Ojo Magistrate Court, with Suit number SOC/LG/A/04A/2022, accusing him: of conspiration to commit a felony; the forceful takeover of a property belonging to the Lagos State Government; violent threats with the aim to gain entry into the landed property, wielding of dangerous weapons such as guns, axes, machetes and other harmful weapons to have entry, forceful takeover and sale of the landed property." " By April 19, 2024, the Magistrate gave judgement in favour of the accused person , stating that "insufficiency of evidence or a lack of incredibility of evidence cannot ground a conviction of a criminal offence." "Suffice to hold that for the above-mentioned reasons so far stated above, I am inclined to accede and uphold that No case submission of learned counsel to the defendant." The family lawyer also recalled that sometime in 2022, the family petitioned Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu over disobedience to the order of court and the unlawful destruction of landed properties belonging to the Alori Ataye Ewuwunmi Kadunmishe Chieftaincy family of Igbo Ilogbo Isefun, Ayobo, by the same officials from the state ministry of Environment and Office of the Surveyor General. ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE Aug 1: Presidency cannot stop Nigerians from protesting — Ajuri Ngelale ICYMI: Ndi Nne gets immunity after winning BBNaija’s custodian challenge NIN-SIM linkage: Telcos bar mobile lines ahead of July 31 deadline Security tightened at borders, FG orders close surveillance ECOWAS protocol, border complexities challenges to Nigeria’s security — CDS have no cabal in my govt — Tinubu Ballot capable of solving Nigeria’s woes, not protest — Kwankwaso