BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
It was a tug of war between landlords of Agric-Owutu in Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area, Lagos State and a demolition team sent by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to demolish some houses in the community last week.
The landlords and residents of the area resisted the bulldozer that came from the Ministry of Physical Planning to demolish their houses because of the Agric-Owutu-Isawo-Arepo road construction.
They claimed that the case is already with the Lagos High Court and pledged not to compromise their rights until the court adjudicates on the matter.
After heated argument between the parties, truce was brokered between the landlords and the demolition team by the police officers that accompanied the bulldozers as well as workers from the ministry who were around for the demolition exercise last week Thursday.
The residents claimed that Lagos State Government has refused to dialogue with them since the government intended to acquire and demolish their buildings for public use, saying they neither committed any infraction nor crime except that they are masses who do not have influential people in government.
While the landlords expressed fears that bulldozers may return in the depth of night to carry out what they termed illegal demolition of their property, the police officers assured the residents that the court order would be obeyed.
They however wondered why, despite writing petitions and protesting to the governor and the Lagos State House of Assembly; as well as approaching the Lagos State High Court, the government officials were pursuing what they termed as executive recklessness, by moving in to demolish their houses which they own legally.
The Lagos State House of Assembly had earlier promised the landlords that their buildings would not be demolished until they would have summoned them to address the matter between them and the Ministry of Work, Ministry of Physical Planning as well as the construction company.
This is sequel to the seven-day quit notice issued to them by the Ministry of Physical Planning to remove their houses with any prior consultations.
The landlords said they had reconstructed their houses after former governor Akinwunmi Ambode partly demolished the same set of buildings about five years ago; after which a new road set back was given.
They said most landlords later reconstructed their buildings with bank loans while others resorted to property developers.
According to the counsel to the landlords, Alexander Ishoga, the landlords are not against the state government or the development of the state, but they suspect foul play in the sudden re-design of the road under construction.
He said if Lagos State as led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is truly interested in acquiring those buildings for public use, it should come to the open and do due diligence by engaging the landlords appropriately.
The concerned landlords urged Sanwo-Olu to obey the processes of the court which has waded into their case, asking the government to refrain from demolishing their buildings for other purposes, pending the determination of their case and all compensation paid.
The landlords are seeking to enforce their fundamental human rights to acquire and own property anywhere in Nigeria, following the sudden issuance of a seven-day notice to vacate the same.
The landlords’ spokesperson, AbdulGaniyy Mustapha who was on a wheelchair urged the Lagos State House of Assembly to live up to their promise to ensure that no building is illegally demolished without due diligence and adequate compensation.
Mustapha, a notable member of the Association of the Physically Challenged in Lagos State said findings by the landlords revealed that the intended demolition is being surreptitiously planned by some unscrupulous but influential men and women including members of transport union, within and outside the local government, who are conniving with the construction company to rob the landlords of their properties that were not ordinarily affected by the construction work.
