THE management of Efoba Construction and Engineering Services Limited and other residents comprising 40 cane chairs’ manufacturers have condemned the demolition of their properties and valuables worth millions of naira by the Lagos State Task Force on Land Grabbers.
They said the demolition exercise, which was carried out early hours of Tuesday last week, took place at Wasinmi, near Odo Iya-alaro, Maryland, Lagos, in less than 24 hours stipulated in the Removal Notice issued on occupants by the agency of government.
Chairman/CEO, Efoba Construction and Engineering Services Limited, Mr Gbenga Asonibare, residents, traders, cane chairs’ manufacturers and furniture makers said the men of the task force besieged the venue with a bulldozer early morning of November 30, with armed security men to pull down their property and shops.
When Nigerian Tribune got to the scene, the entire property on the land had been leveled, while scores of cane chairs’ workers and food vendors were under the sun still combing the ruins for their valuables.
One of the affected cane chairs workers, David Ndiane, narrated his experiences in the hands of men of the land grabbers’ task force. He said they came around 6am and pounced on them.
“Men of the task force did not wait for us to pack their goods and other valuables. They beat us and destroyed our products.
“They also destroyed our warehouse. As I am talking to you, we have nowhere to store our goods. We also lost some money to the land grabbers’ task force. They have further exposed us to harsh weather,” he said.
Another trader, Mathew, who claimed to have been in the location for over 10 years, lamented that the police and task force on land grabbers came less than 10 hours after they served the removal notice.
According to him, they came around 6am and did not allow us to take away our goods.
“Most of our goods were destroyed. We have just made some Christmas baskets for sales and all were destroyed. They even stole our money. We have nowhere to neither go or store our goods.
“More than 40 cane workers were affected. It also affected the food vendors and furniture workers.”
Adeleke Odutola, a furniture maker, alleged that his equipment such as spilling, circular, jigsaw and grounder machines were destroyed by the task force.
According to him, he was not given enough time to remove his equipment.
Speaking to Nigerian Tribune, Asonibare, who claimed ownership of the land and property destroyed, bemoaned the manner at which the officials of Lagos State Task Force on Land Grabbers, accompanied by armed policemen from the Lagos State Task force of Environmental offences demolished his property consisting two apartments, his office, water treatment plant and others valuables.
While responding to calls, the Coordinator of the Lagos Task Force of Land Grabbers, Mr Owolabi Arole, told Nigerian Tribune that, as a civil servant, he would not want to talk to the public.
However, he said that the matter is pending in court and he would not want to preempt the judgement of the court.
Probing further on why his office went ahead with the demolition exercise when he was quite aware that the case is in court, he replied.
“We are not aware that the case is in court before the demolition.”
One of the officials of Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental Offences, who spoke in confidence to the Nigerian Tribune, confirmed the demolition exercise, saying the property was located in a place that could be reserved as wetland.
In a petition to the Lagos State Government, specifically the Office of the Attorney-General of the state over the demolition of the property, the chairman of EFOBA expressed disappointment over the exercise, saying he was surprised that the state’s functionaries could decide to close their eyes to various information at their disposal to the fact that there was a pending case of ownership on the land where Efoba’s office has just been demolished.
“The Suit No: ID/5327LMW/17 between commander Fasasi Odubola Adebambo (RTD) Vs Engr. Gbenga Asonibare & Ors. Is a case before Justice Osuala.
“We have had several sessions with his lawyer present. The next adjourn date is December 9, 2021,” he said.
According to him, originally, the land belonged to Mr. Emmanuel Urobo, who had registered conveyance covering all his land, pointing out that he bought the land from Urobo.
According to him, the original owner registered the title of the land between 1975 and 76.
He said there was an investigation carried out by the state government in 2017 over the ownership of the land and it was discovered that EFOBA was supposed to be on the land.
“The same man, Commander Adebambo (rtd) brought in naval men with guns, trying to take over this place. They did a little demolition then, so the government investigated the task force on land grabbers because he also petitioned the task force. They investigated the case and realised that we are supposed to be on our land.
“So after they received their report from the surveyor-general office, the investigation was on for over two years. They came to the site. So the same organisation that found out that we are supposed to be in charge of our property now returned to demolish this place,” he said.
In a petition titled; “Unlawful/illegal demolition of property, belonging to EFOBA Construction and Engineering Services Limited at Wasinmi on November 30, 2021, Asonibare decried the enlistment of Lagos State Government’s functionaries to perpetuate the illegality despite the pendency of ownership dispute in court.
He condemned the instigation of Lagos State Task Force on Land Grabbers and its functionaries by his opposition.
The chairman of EFOBA is calling on the state government and the attorney-general on the need for urgent intervention, halting of further damage and urgent need for financial compensation for the damage done.
“I hope the task force will be called in order to stop the illegality being perpetrated at Efoba’s land and desist from causing further damages and destruction. The task force should also be made to pay compensation for these atrocities,” Asonibare said.
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