Human rights activists, on the platform of the Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights, have urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and security agents to end the reign of land grabbers across Lagos.

The CHSR and Lawyers for Reform Group, at a news conference on Monday in Lagos, called on Mr Sanwo-Olu, the acting inspector general of police, Kayode Egbetokun, and concerned Nigerians to save innocent people from the terror of land-grabbers.

In the news conference text jointly read by the CHSR president, Alex Omotehinse and Oladotun Hassan, the executive project director of Lawyers for Reform Group, the activists highlighted an alleged conspiracy to forcefully dispossess a resident, Olufemi Fasehun, of his property.

They said the property was located at 10 Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Ikeja.

The land-grabbers, allegedly supported by some state actors and security agents investigating the property, must be stopped to prevent breach of peace and threat to life, said the activists.

“We urgently demand the intervention of Governor Sanwo-Olu alongside Mr Kayode Egbetokun, the acting inspector general of police in carrying out accelerated due diligence, investigation and prosecution of anyone found culpable, no matter how highly placed at a court of competent jurisdiction accordingly.

“We shall appreciate all Nigerians concerted support and efforts to stop land grabbing menace in Lagos state under any guise of demolition of innocent Nigerian citizens’ properties. We call on the governor and the IGP to swiftly come to the aid of the victim, who is the rightful owner of the aforementioned property with valid land title documents,” stated the activists.

They added, “There is the need to achieve respite for the victim and peaceful habitation of his property respectfully. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

The activists alleged that some officers in the General Investigation Department, Police FCID, Alagbon, connived with the land-grabbers to demolish and dispossess the victim of his property.

“The vampire marauding land-grabbers are now all out to wreak monumental havoc capable of breaching the peace and the fundamental rights of the affected victim,” the activists added.

The duo said the land-grabbers attacked and damaged the victim’s property several times. They said the victim wrote a petition dated May 2 to the assistant inspector general of police, FCID, Alagbon, Lagos, against the land-grabbers attacking his premises to invade and seize the landed property forcibly.

According to them, Mr Sanwo-Olu and security apparatuses must prioritise the welfare and security of ordinary citizens robbed of their properties under various guises in Lagos.

They called for the government’s intervention in stopping incessant harassment, criminal trespass, wilful and malicious destruction and violent conduct of land-grabbers in various parts of Lagos. 

(NAN)