The residents of Ijegun, Ije-Ododo and Abule-Odo area of Iba, Igando-Ikotun Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Iba and Alimosho of Lagos State have appealed to the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene and save them from planned demolition of over 200 houses in the communities.
In a reminder letter dated September 2 signed by JB Alalade, the counsel to the affected residents of the area and addressed to the governor and other agencies responsible for infrastructural development, including the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, they appealed to concerned authorities to spare all the existing buildings that were marked for demolition from Ijegun, IjeOdodo road down to Abule-Ado area of Iba and Igando–Ikotun Local Government Area.
The letter reminded the relevant authorities that thousands of residents of the communities would be affected and rendered homeless by the planned demolition, adding that it was not a good way to reward the residents who had voted for the administration in the 2019 election.
The residents said that all the owners of properties in the areas have approved registered survey plan and approved certificate of occupancy by the Lagos State government.
Residents of the communities have been worried since January when the state government announced plans to construct a 19.39km road to link Ijegun, Ijeododo to Abule-Ado.
But they got the shock of their lives on August 27, when houses numbering over 300 were marked for demolition for being on the project’s Right of Way (RoW).
Meanwhile, the state government responding to the agitations of the resident last week sent a visitation team from the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) to look into the residents’ complaints and inspect the project site.
The residents had lamented that the road project was being taken out of the original Lagos State plan that had earlier been delineated with landmarks and which was far from the NNPC pipeline’s RoW also in the same area.
Receiving the government delegation in his palace, the Onijegun of Ijegun Kingdom, Nureni Alani Akinremi, urged the officials to be honest in the discharge of their assignment of inspecting the communities and the original places marked for the construction of the road.
According to him, “The master plan had marked out a particular place for a road construction project. I, therefore, plead that, as representatives of government, you go to the archive and get the original plan for the road. It is not possible to site a road on a pipeline or close to it. We all are aware of the past incidents of fire outbreak in Ijegun and that is why I urge for caution and sincerity. So, the original plan must be visited.
“Ensure you carry out your assignment without taking sides. Check out all the areas marked out with Lagos State government pillars and inspect them without fear.”
Leading the team into the community, S.O. Aboderin, leader of representatives of Ijegun/Ijeododo residents, whose houses have been marked for the intended demolition, said the sharp practices of some land-grabbers to sell government-acquired portions of land was putting the project in limbo.
“We urge the government to use the approved road marked in its master-plan, which is from Irede Street down to the canal linking Abule-Ado rather than use the road by the NNPC pipeline. Because NNPC is not permitting them to construct close to its pipelines, they have now moved some meters into the community to mark some buildings for demolition, deviating from the original plan and route,” Aboderin said.
The inspection team promised they would carry out their assignment accordingly. They were taken round the community and shown the areas, which had the original landmarks of the state government.
It was gathered that some properties had started springing up on the marked areas while hitherto roads are being carved out for building sites.
