By Olanrewaju Adesanya
The yet to be resettled land owners of Abomiti,Yegunda,Eyin-Osa axis of Epe area in Lagos State, have besieged the Lagos State House of Assembly to intervene on their behalf and ensure they benefit the lands allotted to them by government as resettlement scheme.
The protesters wielding large banners with boldly written messages, as well as placards with inscriptions to communicate their plight barricaded the Lagos House main gate early hours of Monday.
The three large banners were addressed separately to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Attorney General and the other to Lagos State Government officials whom they claimed re-hijacked their resettlement.
“The representative you gave us from Lagos ministries, have connived with land grabbers to steal our resettlement land.”
The leader of the protesters Hon. Shanu Adekunle cited the fact that rightful owners of the lands in question were deliberately shelved out, by those representing them in the Central Working Committee (CWC), having collected the Cof O on the resettlement land from government and not releasing it to them.
Adekunle also alleged that the state government took 100 percent of their original lands and gave them 10 percent elsewhere as resettlement scheme lands.
“Government took 100 percent of our lands and gave us 10 percent elsewhere as resettlement scheme lands, now the community denied us the 10 percent saying it is not more than 5-6 percent.
“The C of O for the 10 percent lands was issued but kept back.We noticed they have sold the lands allotted to us as resettlement again to unknown person’s.
“We want the said buyers to know that they are not relating with the rightful owners, we want government to come to our rescue because we are not given to violence, we don’t want bloodshed.
“We want the Assembly to also come to our aid,we have no land elsewhere. They should intervene and call both parties to fish out who is right or wrong.
“They claimed they gave the Governor land as well as the Chief of Staff, the rightful owners have no money to buy bread, they are suffering, while this people give lands to their girl friends.
“If government fails to intervene, that is how Niger Delta issue started when they were talking nobody seem to listen, some people came from outside the state to encroach on our lands, this we won’t tolerate any further.” Adekunle said.
The Baale of Abule Onigbagbo Chief Obafemi Babajimi, a leader in the affected community of Epe riverine area also corroborated the stance of the protesters.
He urge the Lagos Assembly to help wade into the situation.
Addressing the protesters the Majority Leader Hon Noheem Adams who was accompanied by his colleagues; Hon. Kehinde Joseph,Hon.Desmond Elliott, Hon. Oladipupo Ajomale,Hon. Fatai Mojeed and Hon. Tijani Suraju, commended them for their peaceful conduct.
Noheem noted that their letter will be presented to the Speaker Rt.Hon Mudashiru Obasa and the needful will be done to bring respite.