Ilamoshe: Stalemate as judgment creditor takes possession of estate

Nearly 20 days after an Appeal Court judgment delivered ruling on a large expanse of land in Ilamoshe, Oke-Afa Estate, Ejigbo to the estates of Abiodun O. Ojo, alias Ojo Barber and Jokotade Bakare, peace talks between the judgment creditor and property owners of the affected area failed at the weekend.

As a result of the stalemate, the family has decided to take possession today with the continued demolition of marked houses in Ilamoshe. In readiness for the forceful takeover of the land, fierce-looking men dressed in black top and pants and wielding cudgels stormed the area on Sunday evening with unmarked police vans and earth-moving equipment like bulldozers to pull down structures.

The men in black, who were placed strategically around the Ilamoshe estate, were seen discussing in groups and getting excited with alcoholic drinks, battle-ready to act on directives from the judgment creditor.

Last week, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ejigbo division, Superintendent of Police Segun Titiladun Ayo and the lawmaker representing Oshodi/Isolo II Constituency, Jude Emeka Idimogu, had intervened to restore peace in the troubled area, which resulted in a truce brokered between the judgment creditor, managing director of Nigercat Nigeria Company limited, Alhaji Akeem Oshuolale, and concerned landlords.

The truce, which lasted for a week, was to allow for property owners verify their land and title documents with the office of the Surveyor-General at the state secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

Also, a committee comprising leaders of the six Community Development Associations (CDAs) in Ilamoshe and counsel to the judgment creditor, Patrick Arasanmi, was set up to work out modalities of arriving at a ratification/settlement arrangement.

However, tempers flared on Sunday at the reconvened peace parley, which was held at Ejigbo police station, when some landlords pleaded for more time to get response from the office of the Surveyor-General, a position that didn’t sit well with the judgment creditors and their associates.

The meeting began on a promising note with some property owners narrating how they approached the Surveyor-General to verify if their land survey is captured in the Survey Plan CD/778/77, which the court has ruled on. They were told at the state secretariat that the direct copy of the survey plan was not lodged at the Surveyor-General’s office but that another copy would be ready in a week’s time.

Responding, Alhaji Oshuolale decried the delay tactics being employed by the affected landlords. He said he is not happy with the landlords as some of them were feigning ignorance of the law and a few others were sending threat messages to him to intimidate him.
“That cannot move me. I am sad that till date, nobody has deemed it fit to approach us for amicable settlement.
However, if nothing is done today, the family is ready to take possession tomorrow (Tuesday),” he stated.
The lawmaker and the DPO, however, pleaded with the judgment creditor to put human face to his decision by writing to the houses affected to come individually for settlement.

The judgment creditor despite all entreaties have decided to move bulldozers to Adejumo Primary and Secondary School for the start of a forceful takeover today, while those that seek help in verification of their title document should meet with the judgment creditor for speedy access to the Surveyor-General.