Owutu Residents Resist Land Grabber, Urge Governor Sanwo-Olu’s intervention

Residents of Agric-Owutu in Ikorodu have once again called on the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu as well as the House of Assembly to save them from the notorious land grabber, Mr Jimmy Sholaja who they alleged is bent on snatching their land, after he orchestrated the illegal demolition of their buildings.

The call was made on Monday when strange truck with Lagos registration number plate: EKY 209 YK carried a cabin to the area in preparation for the purported ‘construction of modern market’ for the masses.

The sudden visit of a cabin-container laden truck without any prior notice to the community raised a lot of concern.

The team which was resisted by the residents who suspected foul-play was led by about 20 soldiers and a retired Major who said he was the CSO to the contractor engaged by the Lagos Ministry of Agriculture and the Ikorodu West LCDA.

Major Digolo Golo rtd said he was engaged by the Commissioner of Agriculture, Mrs Abisola Olusanya to construct a market on the disputed land whose landlords initially had their houses demolished by a notorious land grabber, Jimmy Sholaja in connivance with the Lagos State Commissioner of Agriculture.

Jimmy Sholajaworking together with the Ministry of Agriculture had engaged Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABCA), KAI officials as well cultists and Area Boys, had earlier in the year succeeded in demolishing about 200 houses, including mosques and churches when they suddenly visited abode with bulldozers without notice, claiming that about two hundred houses were ‘distressed’.

The Commissioner, Mrs Olusanya, testifying during the Lagos State House of Assembly investigation on the matter, had claimed to have unknowingly bought the land from the land-grabber, Mr Sholaja. She said the ministry had been deceived by Sholaja who claimed had had won a court case that returned the ownership of the land him. According to the Commissioner, Sholaja claimed the land bought by the residents in the 70s from the Allison family now belonged to his Osholonge family. She however apologiaed to the residents, saying why they engaged the LABCA, they never asked them to destroy their abode.

Meanwhile, the residents said Sholaja was only lying, stating that the land he claimed to have won in court has nothing to do with their land, as he has been unable to present the court papers to anyone, including the House of Assembly.

When the 81 Division of Army Barracks in charge of military personnel in Lagos and Ogun, the PRO, Lt. Col MA Yahya was contacted, he confirmed that the escorts, led by one Major Digolo rtd. were unknown soldiers.

After speaking with the PRO on phone, the soldiers who escorted the truck hurriedly retreated and left the scene when it dawn on them that they were on illegal duty. It was after this that the truck left with the ‘contractor’, who identified himself as the CSO of the construction company engaged by the Ministry of Agriculture and Local Government for the project.

It was gathered that the Chairman, Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area, Mr Sulaiman Kazeem Olanrewaju is working in cahout with the land grabber as the truck which was turned back eventually returned to the premises of the Local Government.

It was also gathered that, realising that the interventions of the court and the House of Assembly on the matter, Mr Sulaimon and Sholaja resorted to the use of military personnel to scare the civilians, the original owners of the land away from their property.

According to a resident who prefered to speak under condition of anonymity, “Just few hours after the incident, the LG Chairman later invited the CDA members to the palace of the Ayangburen of Ikorodu for a parley on Tuesday. It’s believed that this move is to scare us into submission, using the tradition to suppress us to let go of their property which we know they have already shared within themselves”, he said.

Speaking with journalists during the incident, the CDA Chairperson, Princess Adebukola Adebowale lamented why the Lagos State Government and the Lagos State House of Assembly appear to be helpless and impotent in the face of the rampaging land grabber, with the active collaboration of the Local Government chairman and the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi.

“This is indeed surprising. The office of the governor of Lagos State is aware of this development, Lagos State House of Assembly has also intervened in this matter. The matter is with the Police Headquarters at Zone 2, Onikan, but they all seem to be complicit. They have demolished our buildings, why can’t they just leave our land for us. Is it a crime to be poor? Our only crime is that we are not powerful and the powerful people in government are conniving with criminals to disposess us of our rightfully owned property in a broad day light”, she said.

Also speaking, Mr Rashidi Olayiwola whose building was also demolished called on Governor Sanwo-Olu to come to their aid. He also challenged the Lagos State House Committee on the matter to make their findings and recommendations public on this matter to avoid complete a breakdown of law and order in Owutu town.

While the residents wait on the quick intervention of Governor Sanwo-Olu, they are also keeping watch, knowing full well that the land grabber will soon resurface in another guise, as long as justice is perverted and criminals are allowed to roam the streets, courting the privileges of those in public offices and palaces