The families of Alori Kadunmishe of Igbo Ilogbo, Isefun, and Ayobo areas of Lagos State have called on the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to restrain a group, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Lagos State branch, from alleged land grab.

They want the governor, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, and the Head of Civil Service to compel the group to abide by the last ruling of a Magistrate’s Court in Ojo.

In October 2022, the group instituted a five-count charge against Taiwo Anishere, a family member. The matter was brought before Mr A. A. Adesanya in the Magistrate’s Court of Lagos State, Ojo, in suit number SOC/LG/A/04A/2022.

The group accused him of conspiracy to commit a felony, forceful takeover of a property belonging to the Lagos State Government, violent threats to gain entry into the landed property, wielding of dangerous weapons such as guns, axes, machetes, and sale of the landed property.

But on April 19, 2024, the magistrate gave judgment in his favour, stating that insufficient evidence cannot ground conviction of a criminal offence.
“Suffice to hold that for the above-mentioned reasons so far stated, I am inclined to accede and uphold the no-case submission of the learned counsel to the defendant,” the judge ruled.

The family, however, revealed that the group has been coming frequently to the land, disturbing and threatening law-abiding tenants and owners with orders to vacate the place.

When contacted, the Chief Public Affairs Officer, Lagos State Ministry of Housing, Mr Rufai Adesile, said the land in question, with a total area of 455.76 acres, was acquired by the Lagos State government to build a housing estate.

According to him, a 2014 publication told the public of an illegal seizure of government land at Ayobo in Alimosho Local Council. He also disclosed that a court judgment ordered the two parties to maintain statusquo, and the Lagos State government obeyed the law.

“According to the Land Use Act, all land belongs to the state government, but the government will give the family something. The General Hospital, the Secretariat we are now belongs to some families, but the government has the overall power.”

“There is still a law that states that before you build anything in Lagos State, you must get approval. There is still that law that says before you buy land, you must know its status,” Adesile said.