There is
palpable tension and threat of a breakdown of law and order in Fowoseje
community in the Lakowe area of Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, as residents have
accused Toll System Development Limited of using land grabbers to chase them
out of their homes.
The
residents told the Media that the land grabbers invaded the community on
Monday, November 5, and allegedly demolished some buildings belonging to
residents and took over the community.
The
Chairman, Fowoseje Community Landlords and Residents’ Association, Victor
Ajenifuja, said the residents had been living in fear ever since the land
grabbers invaded the area, adding that he was arrested alongside two other
members of the community as a result of the incident.
Ajenifuja
stated, “People are not happy in the community; the land grabbers came without
any notice and started chasing everybody away. They were armed and residents
have been living in fear since their arrival. Landlords are now packing out of
their own homes to rented apartments outside the community.
“As I speak
to you, Toll System Development Company Limited has brought earth movers to
pull down buildings; people in the community are panicking. What they are doing
is wrong; we have occupied the land for so long and we want to remain here.”
The
Secretary of the association, Francis Akpowere, said he had visited Zone 2
Police Command, Onikan to secure the release of Ajenifuja and the Baale of the
community, Nojeem Ojomo, when he too was arrested.
Akpowere
stated, “We were told that the lawyers representing Toll System Development
Company Limited had petitioned against us that we took possession of the firm’s
land in the Fowoseje community since 2003.
“Toll System
Development Company Limited brought over 50 armed land grabbers to our
community. As soon as they came in, they pulled down part of the house
belonging to one Mr Tunde, which is located at the junction of the community,
and erected their own building, which has got to the window level as I speak.”
Akpowere
added, “When we had a meeting with the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Bureau
of Lands, Bode Agoro, and the Director of Lands, Bamidele Ibrahim, we couldn’t
conclude. What they wanted was for us to allow the firm to take over the empty
plots of land in the community, but we have sent a proposal to them that we
occupy only 9.4 hectares out of the 1,661 hectares belonging to the community.
“We are not
fighting for the other ones, but they should leave the portion that the
community occupies. But what we have observed so far is that they are planning
to take over the whole land, because they have started pulling down peoples’
buildings.”
The Pastor
of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Signs and Wonders Parish, Gbenga
Olayinka, confirmed that the church, situated on No. 1 Fowoseje Road, off Gulf
Housing Estate, Lakowe, had been converted to the base of the land grabbers.
A reliable
source at the state Lands Bureau, who pleaded anonymity, said the Fowoseje
community land that fell under the Lekki global acquisition belonged to the
Lagos State Government, adding that Toll System Development Company Limited had
a Certificate of Occupancy on the land because it purchased 1,561 hectares from
the government.
“The land
falls under the Lekki global acquisition. I don’t know anything about the
demolition; but it is the community that is encroaching on the land that
belongs to Toll System Development Company Limited. The government issued a
Certificate of Occupancy to the company in 2003, after it purchased 1,561
hectares. The government compensated the community and made excision, which is
outside the area the C-of-O covered,” the source explained.
The Lagos
State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti, confirmed the development,
adding that the police intervened to restore order in the community.
Oti said,
“The policemen received a distress call and they went there to bring the
situation under control. Investigation into the matter is ongoing. The police
are a peace-making institution; they spoke to the community on the need not to
take the path of reprisal and to allow peace to reign.
“They should
not misconstrue an advice to allow peace to reign to mean that we are
supporting the firm.”
The Media
Consultant to Toll System Development Company Limited, Ranti Thomas, said the
Lagos State Government had mediated in the matter on how the people could leave
the area, adding that the company did not pull down buildings but fences of
plots being used by miscreants as hideouts.
Thomas said,
“As a responsible corporate citizen, we remain confident that at the end of the
day, the court will vindicate our position. But we do not want to be in a
situation that when we get judgement, the entire place would have been built up
and lost.
“On that
account, we had to take steps to write
petitions to the police about the activities of these people, especially Chief
Ajenifuja and Ojomo, and also drew attention to the different areas in the
community that these people have fenced out, which miscreants are now using as hideouts. Those
were the places that were brought down and not living places.”
Comments