The Ajah Community Developers Association (ACDA) has expressed gratitude to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Lagos State Government for helping to dislodge suspected land grabbers from percels of land belonging to the association.
Speaking after an enforcement exercise carried out by officials of the Lagos State Taskforce on Land Grabbers (LSTFLG) on Thursday to dislodge suspected land grabbers from the parcels of land measuring 50.06 hectares situated Block E, Plot 2 at Sangotedo, Lekki Peninsula Subregion in Eti-Osa Area of Lagos State, General Secretary of the Association, Barr. Oladele Ojogbede lauded the effort of the Governor, the Ministry of Justice and the State Attorney General for ensuring that the association took peaceable possession of the land.
He noted that the successful dislodgement of land grabbers from the association’s land by the LSTFLG has proven that the zero tolerance posture of the Governor Sanwo-Olu led administration against land grabbing in Lagos State is true and real.
“I can say without equivocation that justice is served and seen to be served by the Lagos State Government on this case. The administration of justice by the State land grabbers task force since the petition we wrote has been nothing short of superb”, he said.
Ojogbede explained that suspected land grabbers had forcefully encroached and seized the parcels of land belonging to the Ajah Community Developers Association and prevented the association from taking possession of the land adding that the association petitioned the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo to seek for justice.
“We submitted a petition to the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, who is also Chairman of the Special Task Force on Land Grabbers to report forceful obstruction of access, persistent encroachment and disruption of development work on the land by the suspected land grabbers, demanding justice and the right to take possession of the land”
“After submission of petitions alleging a case of land grabbing against some communities and individuals, officials of LSTFLG on receiving the petitions swung into action to establish the veracity or otherwise of the petition”.
“Our association submitted a copy of the Certificate of Occupancy and Composite Survey Plan. The outcome of the painstaking investigation by LSTFLG established that the land was allotted to our association by the Lagos State government giving us right of occupancy and right of possession in respect of the parcels of land thus prompting the enforcement exercise”, he said.
He explained further that the LSTLG during the dislodgement exercise pulled down all illegal structures erected by the suspected land grabbers adding that the land has since been returned to the association immediately after the exercise.
“We therefore expressed our profound gratitude to the Lagos State Government, the Governor, the Attorney General and officials of the LSTFLG for ensuring we took peaceable possession of our land and restoring our hope in the administration of justice”, Ojogbede said.
He urged citizens who have been illegally dispossesed of their rightfully owned landed properties to seek redress from LSTFLG rather than resorting to self help and taking the laws into their hands.
Speaking in the same vein, Chairman, LSTFLG, Mr. Onigbanjo while reviewing the report of the enforcement exercise urged citizens to bring to the attention of the Taskforce on Land Grabbers any issue bordering on land grabbing by addressing such petition to his office or by calling the LSTFLG hotlines 09096667123, 09020085005.
He advised residents especially land and property owners in the State to perfect title documents as well as all other legal documents pertaining to their properties.
Onigbanjo noted that this, will help dissuade land grabbers from their illicit trade and ensure easy administration of justice in the event that such properties are encroached upon.
“Undocumented and incomplete transactions as well as untidy property documentation make it difficult for encroached property to be retrieved when such becomes a subject of litigation.
“The case of Ajah Community Developers Association has proved that property forcibly and illegally seized by Land Grabbers can be retrieved with minimal effort when Title document on such properties are perfected”, the Attorney General said.
He added that the State Taskforce on Land Grabbers has been repositioned to swiftly attend to all petitions and conduct proper investigation concerning any case of land grabbing. He added that taskforce will not condone perpetration of any act inimical to the laws of the State.
“I wish to remind residents that the Lagos State Property Protection Law of 2016 is in full swing. This Law which prohibits forceful entry and illegal occupation of landed properties, violent and fraudulent conducts in relation to landed properties in Lagos State, prescribes severe penalties with various prison terms for different offenses”, Onigbanjo SAN stated
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