We acted on court instruction, say Police
The Ojomu family of Lagos has called on President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, to intervene in a disputed land matter in Eti-Osa/Chevron Estate.
They want Buhari, Sanwo-Olu and Baba to caution the duo of Lagos State Police Commissioner, Abiodun Alabi and chairman Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Agency (Task Force), Shola Jejoloye, for meddling in a land matter.
According to the Ojomu family, on December 18, 2022, some policemen allegedly drove away owners of an 8223sqm landed property and their workers from the site, while some of the workers were arrested on the claims that they were acting on directives of a bank.
After spending the night in police custody, the Ojomu family said they were able to secure bail for the arrested workers.
The family, in a statement, said it sold land directly to the defunct Oceanic Bank PLC and also sold another part to one Mr. Ibraheem, which is different from the one sold to the bank concerned.
“After the cry of Ojomu family, the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Abiodun Alabi who felt exposed by the publication decided to declare Mr. Ibraheem a “land grabber.
“Why declare somebody that has spent N700 million on a property a land grabber? Mr. Ibraheem is never a land grabber.
“This is a man known as a serial entrepreneur; He has an investment in real estate, having managed many estates in Lagos; a health and airline investor. He has no criminal record not to talk of grabbing land,” the Ojomu family declared.
The family called on the Nigeria Police to invite the affected members and the bank to resolve the issue. The landowners also plead with the Presidency, the IGP, and the Governor of Lagos to ensure that justice is served for the landowners, who they said acted civilly and lawfully in the face of harassment and intimidation.
Responding, spokesperson for Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, said: “Anything that happens on that land is as a result of court injunction. To execute a court order, police have to go with bailiff. So, it’s not about the police.
“The CP did not just wake up and decide to take anybody’s land, it’s illegal and he will not do so.”
