The Lands Bureau and the Land Grabbers Office have been summoned to appear before the Lagos State House of Assembly over a land dispute at Ogudu Community Muslim Praying Ground in Lagos.
Mr. Victor Akande, Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary and Public Petition, ordered the summon at an on-the-spot Assessment of the land on Saturday in Lagos.
The landowners had in May 2021, protested activities of suspected land grabbers on their land at the Ogudu community Muslims Praying Ground along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Ogudu.
Prince Wale Oyekoya, Mrs. Oreoluwa Obasuye and Mrs. Pauline Nsa were the major landowners who had protested.
The major landowners had urged the government, the Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police in the state and the Oba of Lagos to come to their rescue and save their lives and property.
Speaking at the site, Akande directed the Executive Secretary, Land Use and Allocation Committee, Mrs. Ololade Ajetunmobi to appear in person on Tuesday to explain the role of the bureau on the land.
“The committee is also summoning the office of the Surveyor General; the Ologudu of Ogudu; the alleged land grabber, Mr. Jibola Bisiriyu and other parties involved to appear before its committee on Tuesday.
“It is necessary for all the parties involved to appear on Tuesday so the issue will be resolved once and for all,” he said.
Akande queried the Lands Bureau on why the demolition had taken place hastily and illegally by using the Ministry of Environment instead of the task force from the Lands.
The lawmaker also queried the scheme officer in charge of the land on her denial claiming that she was not aware of the demolition.
According to him, what baffles me is why the demolition took place despite the Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) issued to the landowners by the land register.
Chief Ibrahim Durojaiye, the Representative of Ologudu, explained that the lands involved had been sold to the landowners about 30 years ago before the Land Use Act was established.
Speaking on behalf of other aggrieved landowners, Oyekoya, lamented the hasty demolition of their property and the threat to lives by suspected land grabbers
Oyekoya said that they bought their titles and documents from the Fashola family of Ogudu.
He said they had obtained a CofO more than 10 years ago from the Lagos state government in respect of their respective holdings in the land in dispute.
Oyekoya urged the state government to ensure appropriate compensations against the land grabbers and their land returned to them.
Mr. Gabriel Ibiwoye, a representative from the Lands Bureau, Office of the Surveyors General, Direct Construction Company and the landowners’ counsel was also present on the site.
