22
Feb
Feb
LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT TAKES BOLD STEPS TO TACKLE LAND GRABBING MENACE
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CapitalTimesNews / 3 months
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- 2 min read
The Lagos State government has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling the menace of land grabbing, which has hindered property transactions and threatened real estate investments in the state. According to the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, “property transactions in Lagos State have been greatly hindered by the activities of the omo-onile and ajagungbales.” The Lagos State Task Force has been at the forefront of the battle against land grabbers, with the recent arrest and prosecution of 12 suspected land grabbers who were allegedly terrorising occupants of NERDC Road, Alausa, Ikeja. Chairman of the agency, Adetayo Akerele, warned that the agency “won’t sit back and watch Lagosians get cheated out of their landed property or structure.” The Lagos State government has also 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. The law, which was enacted in 2016, still stands regardless of anyone’s status in society. In addition, the Epe community has invoked ancestral spirits against land grabbers and formed a local task force to tackle the menace. The Aladeshonyin of Odo-Noforija in Epe, Babatunde Ogunlaja, warned that land grabbers “should stay off or be ready to incur the wrath of our ancestors because I will resist any unlawful seizure of land by individuals or groups.” Ogunlaja also urged affected individuals to report land encroachment cases, assuring them of swift action. “We will work closely with law enforcement agencies and the judiciary to ensure that justice is served and that land-owners can live without fear,” he said. The Lagos State government’s efforts to tackle land grabbing have been commended by stakeholders, who noted that the menace has led to conflicts on land, resulting in destruction of properties and loss of lives. As Pedro stated, “resolving land-grabbing issues is of great importance to Governor Sanwo-olu’s T.H.E.M.E.S.PLUS agenda.”