BY ROTIMI DUROJAIYE
There was another round of tension on Tuesday morning at the Magodo Phase 2 Estate area of Lagos State following the continuous presence of over 50 armed policemen in the estate.
Consequently, the estate management has ordered a closure of the estate gates in protest against the planned demolition of property in the estate.
The chairman of the estate, Bajo Osinubi, said the policemen had remained in the estate despite Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s earlier intervention, adding that residents had been living in fear as the policemen move around with their weapons.
He added, “More than 50 armed policemen are still around and they are restless and didn’t go for Christmas and New Year. In the morning and evening, they carry their guns around and you can imagine what will happen if there is a disagreement between the group and residents and somebody was shot, what will be the reaction of the IGP.”
Osinubi decried the situation whereby the policemen had taken over the police post built by the residents.
He said the policemen said they were still awaiting signals from Abuja before vacating the estate.
“You can imagine a situation where these armed policemen have taken over our police post built for our own protection and security. We are calling on the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Federation, to order these armed policemen to vacate Magodo Estate. We don’t have any problems with any family, because we bought our land from the Lagos State Government,” he stressed.
He, however, disclosed that he spoke with Governor Sanwo-Olu on Monday, and that the Governor promised to visit the estate on Tuesday (today) to resolve the crisis.
On December 21, 2021, the policemen had been accompanied by suspected land grabbers and members of a family who invaded the estate to claim possession of property.
During the invasion, the group used red, brown and blue inks to inscribe ‘ID/795/88 Possession Taken Today 21/12/21 by Court Order,’ on various properties on the estate.
The suspected family was said to have led the group and armed policemen to the estate to execute a Supreme Court judgement.
The group was about to invade the estate with a bulldozer when the estate management ordered a closure of the gate.
It was learnt that it took the intervention of the Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, before the gates were reopened as the Inspector-General of Police, Baba Usman, promised to withdraw the policemen.
However, the Lagos State Government had described the invasion as unwarranted and vowed to prosecute those involved in the invasion.
