LAGOS — Officers of the Lagos State Command of Nigerian Police, yesterday, demolished over 600 structures erected on 65 hectares of land in Mowo Phase II, Badagry, Olorunda Local Council Development Area, LCDA, accusing the owners of trespassing on its land.
Vanguard gathered that the demolition came barely two years after the command, through the state Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, issued letters to the trespassers to vacate the land to no avail.
Sources close to the police said the order to demolish the houses was given by the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Abubakar Muhammed.
When Vanguard visited the scene, it was gathered that the demolition exercise was carried out by over 200 armed policemen from Area K, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, Ekpo Osu using five bulldozers.
Our correspondent learnt that the demolition began at about 10:00 am with the aim to reclaim the land said to belong to the Police from trespassers, who had been warned two weeks ago to vacate the land.
Land acquired 10 yrs ago
After a few years, land speculators started encroaching on the land when the authorities failed to develop the land for its specific purpose.
The residents, however, argued that a case to determine the ownership of the land was still at the Badagry High Court, Badagry.
Mr. Waheed Yakub, one of the affected residents said: “I am yet to process my C of O but I bought the land over 10 years ago from the Opeisa family and I developed it a year after.”
When Vanguard visited the scene, women and children wailed during the exercise, claiming the notice was served only on Saturday, December 14, 2013.
