Ahead of a planned demolition in the Alma Beach Estate area of Lekki, residents are anxious that a possible clash between aggrieved homeowners and police is imminent.
In 2017, Lagos-based firm, NICON Trustees, began to claim 150 plots of land in Alma Beach Estate without a registered title to verify its claims. However, it was rejected by the Lagos State government via the state Surveyor-General, Mr. Olutomi Sangowawa, in a memo to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, Zone 2, with ref: AR: 3000/ZN/MTU/TMU/TM4/VOL.2/116 and dated July 3rd, 2020.
While the state government affirmed that estate home or landowners did not only have their titles consented to by the government but equally registered as confirmed by their survey plan No. LA/0807/2007/05, it said that of NICON Trustees marked SJA/301/076K/2003/LA does not exist in the state records.
Prior to the intervention of the state government, the authentic home owners in the estate had also secured two court orders restraining NICON Trustees from trespassing in the estate.
This formed the basis of a letter from the Attorney General of the Federation dated August 20, 2020, to the Inspector General of Police to ensure policemen were not deployed to the estate for illegal activities.
Counsel to the estate home and landowners, Dr Muiz Banire, has, however, expressed shock over the defiant activities of the policemen who allegedly continue to provide cover for armed thugs to destroy peoples’ houses and allowing illegal developers to build day and night.
“This is the type of illegalities that recently led to a nationwide uprising against the police. In this case, if the rightful allottees decide to defend themselves against the invasion and destruction of their homes and properties.
“There is a breakdown of law and order in Alma Beach, Lekki, any police officer responsible for the deployment of policemen to provide cover for hoodlums terrorizing the allottees of Alma Beach Estate should be held responsible and accountable coming against the backdrop of recent unsavory incidents in Lekki,” Banire stated while reacting to the development.
He wondered that the police action was against several commitments to withdraw their men from the illegal duty after meetings with the leadership of the force, both at the state and national levels, thus raising owners’ concern over possible financial inducements and compromise.
When contacted for the reaction of the Lagos State Police Command, its spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the IGP had interviewed the parties, pledging to give an update on the matter soonest.
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