Lagos State Government on Tuesday demolished buildings allegedly occupying government land in Odoiragunshi community, Eredo Local Council Development Area, Epe.
The exercise carried out by the combined team of the state Task Force on Environment and Special Offence Unit and Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, left many residents in anguish, watching helplessly as bulldozers pulled down their structures.
Some of the affected residents claimed they possess necessary government documents to prove their ownership of the land on which the buildings were erected.
But government officials argued that the buildings were constructed on an industrial area as reflected in the state master plan.
Although some of the buildings have approved plans boldly written on them, the officials insisted that they were fraudulently acquired from government officials.
No fewer than 100 buildings were completely brought down, while many of the affected residents rushed to the scene from their offices.
Many fainted on seeing government’s bulldozers turn their homes to rubble.
The Chairman of the Task Force, Mr. Bayo Sulaimon, a CSP, said government would not sacrifice the land for selfish interest of some individuals at the expense of the larger public.
This place is meant for a project that will benefit Lagosians. How did they manage to acquire this land in the first place. Apart from that, they built without approval and government cannot allow individual interest to override public interest.
“Those who are building on government’s land, thinking that nothing will happen, should have a rethink. Government will rise up and take action one day. This is a message for land grabbers and unsuspecting buyers,” Sulaiman said.
Sulaiman added that the government had visited the area more than four times to intimate the residents on the new project.
He said, “They (residents) quickly erected the structures, thinking that once they are erected, government would have a rethink.
People should seek information from government on any land before paying for or building on the land.
One of the affected landlords, Mr Tajudeen Debo, said, “I obtained all my papers validly from the government. When they began threatening us we went to Alausa to have a meeting with them but we were told the permanent secretary of Land Bureau was not around, so they rescheduled the meeting for March 13, but today March 5, they are demolishing our houses.”
Meanwhile, the state Assembly has summoned the Commissioner for Physical Planning, Environment and the Permanent Secretary Lands Bureau over the exercise.
A lawmaker, Segun Olulade, who raised the motion under Matter of Urgent Public Importance during a plenary, reminded his colleagues that the Assembly had ordered a “Stay Action” on the land, pending the end of an investigation into the issue.
The Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, said it was better that the commissioner and the officials appear before the House on Tuesday to shed light on this issue.