By: Afeez Hanafi
Some thugs and policemen believed to be acting on
the orders of land speculators have marked about 200 houses in the Ejigbo area
of Lagos State for demolition.
It was learnt that the thugs evicted residents of
some houses and sealed up two private schools in the Ejigbo area of Lagos.
PUNCH Metro learnt that academic activities in the two
affected schools – Gloryland and Banbi schools – had come to a halt since last
Tuesday when the pupils were sent out of their classes.
It was learnt that about 200 other buildings had
been marked ‘possession taken’ as landlords and their tenants had been living
in fear since the gang stormed the community.
Our correspondent who visited the neigbourhood on
Friday saw the thugs in one of the sealed buildings smoking.
PUNCH Metro learnt that there had been a controversy over some
parcels of land between the Agbaka and Mosaku families in the area since the
1980s after many people bought lands from the Agbakas.
It was learnt that the matter was taken to a Lagos
High Court and the Mosakus were eventually declared the owner of the disputed
land. The judgment made some landlords to buy the land from the Mosakus again
in 1988.
Our correspondent learnt that the ruling was
appealed but the Mosakus won again.
In 2010, the Mosakus were said to have approached
all the landlords with a Supreme Court judgment and asked them to buy the land
again.
While the landlords, who had made another payment
after the high court ruling lamented, others claimed their houses were not
affected by the court ruling. They all declined the demand and sued the Mosakus
for trespassing.
The coordinator, landlord association in the
community, Alhaji Wahab Popoola, said the Mosakus were demanding that every
landlord should pay millions of naira, adding that the family had refused to
dialogue with them.
He said, “The Mosaku family came on Tuesday to
execute the judgment they said they got from the Supreme Court. They brought
some thugs and policemen to evict people from their houses. In 1980, we bought
a plot of land here for N1, 500. In 1988, when they (Mosakus) came with the
court judgment, we pleaded with them. Those of us who bought a plot had to pay
another N1, 000 while those who bought half plot paid N500 and they gave us
receipts.
“They came in 1995 to collect money from those who
did not pay then. In 2010, they came with a Supreme Court judgment and asked us
to pay all over again. About 37 of us took them to court and Justice Abdullahi
(Mrs.) of a Lagos High Court, who was handling the case then, asked them to
settle the matter and collect a token from us but they refused. The case was
transferred to another judge, Justice Safari, when the first judge fell ill.
The judge warned them not to go beyond their survey.
“They have yet to tell us the amount this time
around but I learnt they are demanding between N3m and N5m which is
outrageous. They should have called for a meeting. Now, they have
even gone beyond their land survey. We have taken them to court again for
trespassing but they refused to answer.”
A 70-year-old landlord, Mr. Abayomi Olukoya, whose
house on Adekoroye Street was sealed off, said he had been overwhelmed by
sadness.
He said, “I have been living peacefully in this
house since 1982. When the Mosakus approached some landlords in the community
in 1988 that the land belonged to them, I was not involved. Five years ago,
they came back and said my house was also part of the affected land.
“About 100 persons living in my house have been
thrown out. The house is my only source of income and children are in
universities. I have been distressed since that day. We are pleading with the
government to intervene because I have documents for my own portion of land.”
Our correspondent learnt that Olukoya slumped on
Saturday and had been admitted to a private hospital in the area.
Another landlord, Adewuyi Richard of Oremeji
Street, said he was in a hospital when his tenants called him that his house
was under lock and key.
He said he was told that his property, which houses
over 10 families, would be demolished on Wednesday (tomorrow).
A tenant, Azubike Duru, said he, his wife and their
four children had been displaced by the thugs.
Another tenant, Innocent Ebhodaghe, said he was
particularly disturbed by the eviction because of his pregnant wife.
He said, “I begged them (the thugs) before I was
allowed to pick some of my belongings. As I speak with you, my wife is pregnant
and I don’t know where both of us will sleep tonight.”
The headmaster, Gloryland Schools, Mr. Ogungbero
Niyi, said, “Our pupils have not been able to take classes since last Tuesday
when the school was sealed off. They were sent out of their classes during
lessons. The government should come to our aid because this is an act of
terrorism.”
However, the consultant of the Masakus, Mr. Adewale
Hamzat, said it was the landlords that were not ready for a dialogue.
He said, “This is the third execution. The first
one was done in 1988. Some people paid while some that did not comply appealed.
The appeal was in our favour too. They took the matter to the Supreme Court; we
also won. In 2010, we called them to come and ratify their documents but they
refused. We took the matter to court again to get a ruling that these people
did not comply and that was what led to this present one that we did a couple
of days ago.
“Since then, we have been expecting them to come to
see what we can do to ratify but they defied. They do not want to comply with the
law that is why they are calling us speculators.”
The Lagos State Police spokesperson, DSP Joe Offor,
said the policemen acted within the confines of the law, adding that they had
secured sheriffs who went to the area to execute a court order.
He said, “What happened in that community was the
execution of a valid court judgment. The people the residents referred to as
hoodlums are not hoodlums but sheriffs. Armed policemen provided security for
them to execute the judgment.”
Copyright PUNCH.
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