Residents of Isheri-Olofin, Lagos state have protested against a quit notice served to them by the Federal Ministry of Power, Works, and Housing. They urged the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, to intervene in their dilemma.
The notice gave the residents fourteen days to vacate the land, described as Federal Government Site and Services Scheme. It was signed by the Zonal Town Planning Officer, Urban and Regional Department, Ipaja, Mrs. B. O. Akele.
The notice reads in part: “However, if you have any documentation from the Federal Government or its agency allocating the parcel of land to you, as a proof of your ownership, please, meet the Zonal Town Planning Officer at the above address urgently at the Lagos State Field Headquarters, lpaja for immediate clearance to avoid embarrassment and please note that failure to act promptly within the stipulated time will leave this ministry with no option other than to remove illegal structure to reclaim and at your expense.”
According to the residents, about one hundred and ten homes were served the notices by ministry officials. The traditional ruler of Isheri-Olofin, Oba Wahab Ayinde Balogun, and the Oba-in-council, who spoke through the spokesman of the palace and Baaroyin of Isheri-Olofin, Chief Jide Osokoya described the ultimatum as “an abuse of the rule of law.” The monarch said another suit on the matter, marked ID/5401/LMW/2017, is pending before Justice O. A. Olayinka of the Ikeja High Court, Lagos. According to a statement, the community said they “were shocked by the action of the Zonal Town Planning Officer, who authorized the pasting of the notice and the threat to demolish the houses. “They had been warned against such action by Justice Abdullahi Mustapha of a Federal High Court in the initial suit No: FHC/LCS/676/05. “He told them to desist from tampering with lands that belong to Isheri-Olofin people until the outcome of the litigation.” The people of Isheri have written the Minister for Power, Works, and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, who himself is a lawyer, to inform him about the demolition threats.
The residents said their suit at the Federal High Court arose following the alleged refusal of the Urban and Regional Department “to return its bonafide land after it was not used for the purpose it was earmarked for which was a national cemetery, in accordance with the 1999 Constitution.”
The Nation
