Landowners cry out over demolition of structures by suspected land grabbers

The Oyemade royal family in Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State have appealed to the Lagos State Government to come to their aid over incursion on their land and demolition of structures erected on their land by some persons suspected to be land grabbers.

The embattled members of the family who protested on Tuesday also called on the police to intervene in order to prevent the breakdown of law and order.

Some of the inscriptions on the placards include: “Our land is Lagos State allocation’’.” Kelechi Mbagwu Must Be Prosecuted” “Justice Must Be Done”.”Illegal Demolition of our land and property unacceptable.”

They alleged that some suspected land grabbers invaded 74 plots of land which they had already sold out and destroyed properties erected by their owners.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Barrister Tunde Popoola and Barrister Bimbo Shokunbi, alleged that one Kelechukwu Mbagwu and his company, CMB invaded the portion of the land at night with the help of police and destroyed their properties without appropriate court order.

According to them, when they discovered that their land had been invaded, they reported the matter to the Police at Area ‘J’ command headquarters, where the area commander is currently investigating the allegations in their petition.

The families made up of Oyetubo, Banjoko and Okunade, represented during a press briefing in Lagos by Alhaja Simirat Adenike Hassan for Oyetubo family, Mr. Bilinimu Yekini, for Banjoko family and Alhaja Ganiyat Bologun for Okunade family maintained that the land has been allocated to different people and some structures put in place before the demolition .

They alleged that in March 2017, the family company, Oyetubo Jokotade Resources Limited sued CMB when it observed it was parading itself and encroaching on any vacant land it was not authorized to have anything to do with, adding that CMB responded in 2018 with a statement of defense.

Oloye Tajudeen Adenijuja, the head of the family called for equal right and justice on the matter.

He appealed to Lagos state government for assistance so they could get justice.

Mr. Chima Duru, one of the owners of the property that was pulled down, said he had spent not less than N5million to erect the structure that was pulled down.

Earlier, Barrister Popoola, counsel to the family had revealed that Oyetubo Jokotade Estate Resources Limited, a company belonging to the family was incorporated with the Corporate Affairs Commission. He said the company was incorporated by Oyebade family.

According to him, at a time, the company had a Memorandum of Understanding between CMB building maintenance company for development of an estate which had since been completed.

He said that at the end of that deal, CMB allegedly started encroaching on the other lands belonging to Oyetubo Jokotade Resources Limited.

He said that on August 19, 2018, a parcel of land was invaded with a bulldozer to demolish the property on the land without court order.

He said that the entire directors and shareholders of Oyetubo Jokotade Resources Limited maintained that CMB must be brought to book.

Credit: Independent