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Lagos Sensitizes Epe, Ibeju Communities On Landgrabbing, Property Protection Law

Lagos State Ministry of Justice on Wednesday, sensitized residents of Epe and Ibeju communities on the nefarious activities of Landgrabbers and the State Property Protection Law. The State Attorney – General and Commissioner for Justice who is also the Chairman Lagos State Special Taskforce on Landgrabbers, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN who spoke at a Stakeholders meeting on Land grabbing held at Jata Hall, Ibeju said the rising cases of Land grabbing is an issue of great concern to the State Government. “As part of the effort to address the issue of land grabbing in the state, the Lagos State Government enacted a law to prohibit forceful entry and illegal occupation of landed properties, as well as violent and fraudulent conducts in relation to landed properties in the State” Onigbanjo stated. He said resolving land grabbing issues is of great importance to the Sanwo-olu Administration. The Attorney- General who was represented by the Director, Office of the Public Defender , Dr. Babajide Martins stated that the menace of Land grabbers has imparted negatively on the growth of the real estate industry and investment. “It is a fact that property transactions in Lagos State have been greatly hindered by the activities of the Omo-Onile and Ajagungbales Martins said. While delivering a paper on the theme, “ Land grabbers, the Law and your Rights”, Martins, emphasized that the law on land grabbing that was enacted in 2016 still stands regardless of one’s status in the society. He explained some of the provisions of the Lagos State Property Protection Law, 2016 and ln particular, Section 2(1) of the Law, which prohibits the use of force or self-help by anyone to take over any landed property or engaging in any act inconsistent with the proprietary rights of the owner of any landed property in Lagos . Also, the Oba Alara of Ilara Kingdom, Oba Olufolarin Ogunsanwo, said that Land grabbers for decades have constituted a threat to property acquisition in Lagos, saying that there has been alarming reports of Land grabbing. While acknowledging the State Government efforts at curbing Land grabbing in Lagos, Oba Ogunsanwo noted that the community also has an important role to play in the ‘Greater Lagos initiative’. Ogunsanwo , however, implored the State Government and the Police to ensure immediate prosecution of identified land grabbers and their sponsors to serve as deterrent to other citizens.

LASG Warns Against Use of Landgrabbers, Violence In Property Dispute

The Lagos State Government on Thursday, warned residents with land disputes against resorting to self-help, employing land grabbers to perpetrate violence. The Commissioner for justice/Attorney-General, Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN gave the warning at a stakeholders’ meeting in Ikorodu with the theme “Land Grabbers, the Law, and Your rights”. “All we are saying is that no one should resort to self-help, there are laws in place, and violence  will never be condoned in  settling of disputes in land matters”Onigbanjo said. “The Court of Law is easy access by any aggrieved resident. It is important all residents should learn to uphold the rule of law, rather than resorting to self which lead to  Killing and maiming people all in the name of land disputes. This, will not be tolerated.” Onigbanjo, represented by Saheed Quadri, the Director Advisory Services in the ministry, noted that the government enacted the Lagos State property protection law to prohibit forceful entry and illegal occupation of landed properties, as well as violent and fraudulent conducts in relation to landed properties. He accused some traditional leaders and community members of working as accomplices for land grabbers. Coordinator of the Lagos State Special Taskforce on Land Grabbers, Owolabi Arole, said the use of land grabbers, perpetuating violence and killings over properties have contributed to the stifled property development in the Ikorodu division. Arole disclosed that the taskforce has received over 5000 petitions since its establishment in 2016. He said majority of these disputes are from the Ikorodu area.  A Muslim cleric, the Grand Imam of Oriwu Central Mosque,  Yaya Oshoala,  also indicted lawyers, police, and traditional leaders of complicity in violence emanating from land grabbing incidences. Oshoala said that land grabbers in Ikorodu should not be solely blamed for illegal land acquisition, as some eggs in law enforcement agencies, also collaborate with other elements in the community to engage in illegal land grab. “There is injustice on the part of some family elders and the baales (traditional chiefs) due to their greed and selfish interests,” Oshoala said. “We rely on the police but they some times let us down, these land grabbers collude with them to subvert justice.” Lagos State commissioner of police Hakeem Odumosu, represented by the  Assistant Commissioner of police in charge of operations, Oladotun Odubona, ​said that land grabbing could not be done without the support of conspirators within. He exonerated the police from the allegations of conspiring with land grabbers, saying the police job is to arrest, investigate and prosecute. “Anything done outside that is beyond the scope of police work,” he said. However, the representative of the Ikorodu branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Shakiru Omolaja reiterated that section 11 of the Lagos State Property Protection Law, 2016, prescribes 10 years’ imprisonment for anyone convicted of land grabbing and advised aggrieved parties to seek legal redress. Omolaja implored members of the community to respect the rule of law with regards to Land disputes instead of resulting to violence, saying ” Law is a respecter of no person”.

Lagos Special Taskforce on Landgrabbers To Hold Stakeholders’ Meeting In Ikorodu

The Chairman, Lagos State Special Taskforce on Land Grabbers, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo SAN, is set to welcome all Stakeholders in Ikorodu division to a  Stakeholders’ Meeting on Land grabbers at the Ikorodu Town Hall, on Thursday 22nd April 2021. The Coordinator, Special Taskforce on Land Grabbers, Mr. Owolabi Arole who disclosed in a statement, said the meeting is themed “LANDGRABBERS, THE LAW AND YOUR RIGHTS”. According to him, the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu is determined to put a final stop to the activities of Land grabbers in the State. “It is of great concern that despite many successes already recorded by the Taskforce on Land Grabbers in the fight against the unwholesome Landgrabbing practice, a few recalcitrant Land Grabbers still engage in the act”. Arole noted. The Coordinator, said that Ikorodu division is fortunate to be picked as the location for the flag off for the Stakeholders meeting, which is scheduled to hold in the six divisions of Lagos State as it is one of the major areas in the state where the atrocities of land grabbers are prevalent. He further mentioned that the Stakeholders meeting will provide a good platform to evolve localised strategies that are most effective in tackling the challenges of  Land grabbing where everyone can ask questions about the appropriate measures they must take when they have issues with land grabbers. “Citizens must acquire landed properties the right way which should include the CofO (certificate of occupancy) as this will allow the Special Taskforce on Land grabbers to know exactly what legal steps to take to tackle the involvement of land grabbers” Mr. Owolabi Arole urged. Arole added, “The Law is no respecter of persons regardless of societal status of the people involved. It will definitely take its full course on defaulters of Land Grabbing”. While reiterating  a point made by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice,  Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo SAN, who is also the Chairman of the Special Taskforce on Land Grabbers, Arole stated that “citizens must 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”. “The Lagos State property protection law of 2016 is in full swing. The 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. Kayode Oyekanmi  Director Public Affairs   Ministry of Justice  19th April 2021

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