BY: News Peddlers
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| House demolished at Osun-Egbado Mowo in Olorunda Local Council Development Area of Badagry, Lagos State |
RESIDENTS of Osun-Egbado Mowo in Olorunda Local Council Development Area of Badagry, Lagos State recently led a protest at Governor Babajide Sanwo-office Olu's in Alausa over the demolition of their houses by some alleged land grabbers.
A company called Advanced Engineering Consultant Company is said to have demolished some houses in the neighbourhood.
Oloye Olabintan Ayuba, the community's Baale, also claimed that he and some members of his cabinet were wrongfully arrested, taken to Adeniji Adele Central Police Station, tried at Tinubu Magistrate's Court, and remanded in Ikoyi Prisons before being released on bail.
Last Tuesday, angry community members staged a peaceful protest in front of the governor's office, pleading with him to save their souls.
"My husband died as a result of heart attack"
During the protest, a woman also described how her husband died of a heart attack after their three-bedroom flat in the community was demolished.
One of the victims, who requested anonymity, told Vanguard that her family's three-bedroom house had been demolished.
She disclosed that the development made her husband die of a heart attack.
"My husband died recently of a heart attack caused by the demolition," she claimed. And now, for the sake of our lives, my children and I have fled the community."
According to Oloye Ayuba, the land grabbers, numbering over 500, arrived in the community in the early hours of November 11, 2022, with some police officers and Lagos State government officials, intending to demolish their houses and claim a portion of their land.
Ayuba alleged that a member of the Oshuku Iyanbu Family from the neighbouring community of Araromi-Ale sold the land to an engineering company.
He called it trespassing because they claimed to have legal documents proving their rightful ownership.
The Baale
The Baale claimed that he and five of his cabinet members were wrongfully arrested, detained, and tried in court before being released on bail.
"Over 500 of them stormed our community with heavy equipment and claimed ownership of the land," he said.
"They threatened to demolish our houses and reclaim our land. Since they started, they have demolished over 150 houses.
"We have reported the matter to several authorities with the necessary documents but there has been no positive response.
"We even filed for an urgent court injunction to stop the ongoing demolition, but this also did not yield any results. They are still destroying houses as I speak to you.
"We are appealing to the Governor of Lagos State and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to assist us. Our people are being displaced, and some have died as a result."
The community leader lamented that demolition has been ongoing since the invasion day, leaving many indigenous people homeless, injured, and some dead from the agony of witnessing the heinous act.
He added that some were not allowed to salvage their properties as the hoodlums forcefully sold them off.
He stated that the community had reported the case to the Police Area Command and had written several petitions to the Attorney-and General's Commissioner of Justice's offices, the Office of Urban and Physical Planning, and other relevant agencies, all with documents proving their rightful ownership of the land in question, but all to no avail.
People demanded the immediate intervention of Lagos State Governor, pleading with him to come to their aid.
House of Assembly promises to intervene.
Mr Victor Akande, Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions, and LASIEC, addressed the protesters and assured them of the state government's intervention.
However, Akande stated that the case would be handled properly and that all relevant stakeholders would be consulted in order for an investigation to be conducted in order to reach a peaceful resolution.
"There is always a procedure, and we cannot skip it. They have submitted their petition; Mr Speaker must review it and forward it to the appropriate parties.
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Vanguard