Breaking! Magodo Property Owners Protest AgainProperty owners in Magodo estate, Lagos, have filed out Tuesday morning to call the attention of the government to an impending demolition of their properties.
There is a lingering crisis over ownership of some portions of the expansive estate where land owners have claimed that the Supreme Court judgment had ceded about 549 plots of land to them.
In December, some policemen had led a bulldozer to the gate of the state with a view to commencing demolition.
The government however intervened and assured residents an amicable resolution would found.
However, on Monday, the estate’s executive committee sent out a notice asking residents to come out for a protest that was slated to hold as early as 6am Tuesday.
The message which was sent out read:
Dear Residents,
I am directed to remind us that it has become EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that we make our voice heard and protect ourselves from an impending invasion of our Estate again. Please come out and join the PROTEST MARCH tomorrow as follows;
Date : Tue. 4th Jan.
Time : 6 a.m.
Venue : Shangisha Gate
Regards,
General Secretary
The residents, as early as 6:30am, converged in front of the estate, demanding the intervention of the state government.
The protesters said they are expecting Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to address them.
They hung placards around their necks which read “Gov Sanwo-Olu stop the illegal possession of Magodo phase two properties which were legally bought from the LASG!” “The action of Adeyiga family could lead to loss of lives. Gov Sanwo-Olu act now!” “Mr governor act now, lives are being threatened by the continued presence of the IGP’s team” “LASG — our C of O is genuine”.
Bajo Osinubi, Chairman of the residents, while speaking with newsmen, said: “We called our people out to protest this morning. Over 50 policemen are living within the estate. We want the police out of our estate.
“There is no cases of kidnapping, rioting, but why are they still here? We want them out of our estate. We want to live in peace. This is a business between Lagos State government and the Adeyiga family.
“We are under siege; the police have been here for two weeks, they came in December to take possession of properties on behalf of Adeyiga family and others.
“Since then, we’ve gotten in touch with prominent personalities to intervene and get the police off our estate. We are victims, even inside our own homes. The police have been here. They are very restless.
“Just imagine there is an altercation between a resident and the police. The easiest way to avoid any of such scenario is to detach the police officers back to Abuja.
“We’ve allowed people to go out, but we are protesting this morning to let the world know what’s going. We are supposed to be at work, but we want the whole world to know what’s happening at Magodo.
“The governor spoke with me yesterday (Monday), and he said he’s on top of it. He has promised to address the situation.
“The Commissioner of Police last week sent the DCP Ops to supervise the withdrawal of troops but they claimed they are yet to get signal. We learnt the police were drafted from Abuja.
“Our immediate concern is to get the police out of the estate for us to leave in peace. We need the government to do the needful to get the family off our neck. About four to five years ago, they did it, and now again this year, they want to do it.”