The Elejigbo family of Lamgbasa community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State has accused the state government of demolishing their property at Silverpoint estate illegally for private use.
The allegation came following a demolition exercise carried out at the estate by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development in March on the allegation of illegal constructions and encroachment on other land.
Speaking with journalists on behalf of the Elejigbo family and the Langbasa community, the family lawyer, Tayo Omosehin described the demolition as illegal, which contravenes Lagos law on urban development and was done for selfish interest other than the reasons adduced by the government.
On the allegation that the buildings were built without permit, he said the building was built on a legally acquired plot of land, stressing that the state government did not follow the legal procedure before it carried out the demolition.
According to him, “To that law they are hiding under, they have goofed, under that law, if you don’t have building permit, the government will serve you notice to go and get it and if you refuse and your building fails integrity test, you will be asked to pull it down yourself and if you don’t, the government will demolish it and you will bear the cost of the demolition, this set of occupants were not given that window.
“Ask Muritala Balogun of the Ministry of Physical Planning, if they gave us notice, ask him to produce the evidence of the notice, when you serve notice you paste it on the building and take photograph footage of the pasted notice so that nobody puts up a denial, ask him for that.
“Meanwhile, the land was given to Lagos State government in 1981 by the family for the purpose of growing forestry, subsequently, the Lagos State government deviated from the original purpose and gave 20 hectares of the land to Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research which has started selling the land to people for private use.”
However, responding on behalf of Lagos State government, the Director, Technical Services, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Muritala Balogun insisted they were served notice before the demolition exercise was carried out.
He also mentioned that the Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research wrote a petition to the government that the land given to them was being encroached upon by unknown persons which prompted the ministry to carry out investigation during which they found out that the people were building without permit, hence, the
Meanwhile, a Director of Administration at the Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research who did not want to be quoted nor her name mentioned said the Institute did not write any petition to the Lagos State government but she confirmed that they reported at Lamgbasa Police station when they discovered their land was being encroached upon.
