In continuation of the zero tolerance posture of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration against land grabbing in Lagos State, Lagos State Task Force on Land Grabbers has dislodged some unnamed persons suspected to be land grabbers from a portion of land measuring 1339.564 square metres situated on Iju Road in Agege Local government Area.

According to Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, who is also Chairman of the Special Task Force on Land Grabbers, while reviewing the report of the enforcement exercise carried out on Friday, by officials of the Land Grabber Taskforce and Policemen attached to State Taskforce on Environment and Special Offences Enforcement Unit.

Onigbanjo, Senior Advocate of Nigeria said the suspected land grabbers had forcefully encroached and seized the land belonging to the Estate of one Moshood Olatokunbo, Late, and prevented his widow, Olabisi Olatokunbo and other Administrators of the Estate, from taking possession of the land.

He explained that Olabisi Olatokunbo had petitioned his office through her solicitors to report the persistent encroachment and disruption of work on the land by land grabbers demanding justice and the right to take possession of her inheritance.

According to him, the dislodgment and enforcement exercise is as a result of the investigation carried out by the State Land Grabber Taskforce on the petition written against Fatai Okesiji and Lai Omotola of Master Reality International Concepts Limited, the alleged land grabbers”.

While explaning the operation protocol of the Taskforce, Onigbanjo stated that officials of agency on receiving the petition from Olatokunbo, swung into action to establish the veracity or otherwise of the petition, saying the outcome of the painstaking investigation showed that the petitioner is the rightful owner of the land having submitted a verified original deed of assignment, composite survey plan and approved building plan whereas, the respondents could not come up with any authentic document to back up their claim to the land.

Onigbanjo said the agency during the dislodgement exercise pulled down all illegal structures erected by the suspected land grabbers adding that the land has since been returned to the rightful owner immediately after the exercise.

The Chairman, also noted that the State Taskforce on Land Grabbers has been re-energised and positioned to swiftly attend to all petitions and conduct proper investigation concerning any case of land grabbing.

While urging members of the public to bring to the attention of the Taskforce on Land Grabbers any issue bordering on land grabbing by addressing such petition to his office or by calling the listed hotlines 09096667123, 09020085005, he advised residents especially land and property owners in the State to perfect title documents as well as all other legal documents pertaining to their properties.

He noted that this, will help dissuade land grabbers from their illicit trade and ensure easy administration of justice in the event that such properties are encroached upon.

“Undocumented and incomplete transactions as well as untidy property documentation make it difficult for encroached property to be retrieved when such becomes a subject of litigation.

“The case of Mrs Olabisi Olatokunbo has proved that property forcibly and illegally seized by Land Grabbers can be retrieved with minimal effort when Title document on such properties are perfected”, The Chairman averred.

He reiterated the commitment and renewed drive of the present administration to put an end to the illicit activities of land encroachers and grabbers in Lagos State.

“I wish to remind residents that the Lagos State Property Protection Law of 2016 is in full swing. This Law which prohibits forceful entry and illegal occupation of landed properties, violent and fraudulent conducts in relation to landed properties in Lagos State, prescribes severe penalties with various prison terms for different offenses”, Onigbanjo, SAN stated.