The Nation Newspaper

Tag: land grabbing

  • Family petitions Ogun cp over land grabbing

    THE Molomo family of Elewa Village in Abeokuta, Ogun State has petitioned the Ogun State Police Commissioner, Bashir Makama, to save their lives and properties from land grabbers.

    In the petition signed by the head of the family, Mr. Moses Olayemi, said: “Some people who claim to be members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), led by its Ita-Oshin Chairman, Alhaji Akeem Bodunrin (a.k.a Iyeru) have been illegally occupying and allocating our lands to individuals, families and corporate bodies.’’

    The family said their efforts to stop  the illegality proved abortive.

    He added: “The parts of the land registered via our family surveyor, Alhaji Bashiru Durowoju via two registered survey plan: DAA/OG/96/131 and DAA/OG/98/128, with the remaining land un-surveyed till date due to financial constraints and challenges.

    He said in 2005, one, Alfa Kamoru (one of their son in-laws) took the registered survey plan of the land from  Mrs. Saratu Akanni, under the pretence of marketing. Since then, he claimed, Kamoru had been illegally selling the land, thereby denying families that have the legal right to the property.

    He further alleged that Kamoru and his group resorted to destruction of properties and extortion of  those that work on their land.

    The petitioner added: “We call on the government and other security agents to save us from these people as well as nullify the purported grabbing of our lands allocations which have all been done without due process.

    ‘’We also advise all those who allegedly acquired our family land through this illegality to vacate same as this land, being our sole property, will be fully protected within the ambits of the law.”

  • Experts seek end to land grabbing, others

    A workshop on Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) by the Friends of the Earth Africa (FoEA) has put the spotlight on land grabbing and informed consent policy to safeguard communities in development projects across the continent, writes OMOLARA AKINTOYE.

    Participants at a two-day workshop organised by the Friends of the Earth (FoE) and Africa Regional Exchange on Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) have drawn attention to the problems of land in some parts of the continent.

    With the theme, Reclaim FPIC democratise development, the event was held in collaboration with member-groups from Liberia, Nigeria, Togo, Uganda and other relevant stakeholders across Nigeria.

    It focused on enhancing knowledge, building capacity and common understanding on the principles of FPIC, its applicability and how it can be used to influence practices and policies at various levels of advocacy work.

    Dr Maurice Olory, from Cross Rivers State, said:  ‘’The international legal instruments and standards on FPIC in connection with its success stories, loopholes and prospects relevant to  Africa were examined. The community was relatively peaceful until multinational companies came many years ago.

    “Instead of them to dialogue with the community leaders, we were not being carried along at all. Initially, these companies came in the name of development, but at the end, what you hear is revocation of our land. In Nbarakon community in Cross Rivers State where I hail from, land grabbing has been the order of the day by multinational companies, our means of livelihood has been taken away from us, our land is polluted,” he said.

    The story of Cheo Johnson of Jogban clan from Liberia, was not different.

    “When the multinational company came to our community, divide and rule was the order of the day coupled with financial inducement of the community leaders, but some of the leaders refused to be bought.

    “Large-scale land acquisitions are widespread in Africa. Africa, many years ago became a ‘grabbers’ hotspot’, following global concerns over food security and fuel supplies. Land, with its available water potential, was acquired by a wide range of private and public actors, including sovereign governments, on African soil.’’

    Also, Sustainable Development Initiative (SDI) Co-ordinator, Ali Kaba, from Liberia, said: “Ineffective legal, political and institutional processes have permitted large-scale land acquisition to the detriment of local communities. There are increasing tensions with local communities who suffer from dispossession of land and natural resources and lack power, made worse where there are no mechanisms for relocation or compensation.

    The issue of land ownership in Liberia, Kaba added, is being managed by people in Counties (aka states) in Liberia and not the government any longer.

    He said while Liberia is a late comer in land reform, countries, such as Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda and Togo, had been executing policies on it.

    He said: “The land reform was made possible as a result of collective efforts, the battle of rural Liberians, community members who fought for their land rights, the efforts of civil societies to expose the land rights and the abuses in the sector to the international community and the goodwill of the international community to pressurise the government to open up to reforms in the land sector. Liberia was just lucky because it recognised the rights of communities with or without document. We have FPIC in some of our domestic laws, and it really helped. Nigeria can also emulate this.”

    Forest and Bio-Diversity Programme of Friends of the Earth, Africa Co-ordinator Rita Uwaka observed that FPIC could be used to challenge unfriendly processes.

    “As CSOs, we need to domesticate this issue and hold our government accountable.The concept of development, she said, must involve everybody. People must be carried along. It’s wrong for the government and companies to get to a community and take over their land without any understanding. There is need for community to give their consent first before their land is taken from them.’’

    Uwaka called on African governments to prevent and address the adverse human rights impacts of company operations on community peoples before concessions are made to multi-national corporations.

    She said: “We demand free prior and informed consent of community people before any development project commences by any company operating in community territories in Africa. Consent must be given without force, intimidation, oppression or coercion and according to the decision making processes of the communities.”

  • Brothers arraigned for ‘forgery, land grabbing’

    Two brothers, who allegedly forged land documents and procured hoodlums to grab land at Oko-Ado community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos, were yesterday brought before an Igbosere Chief Magistrates’ Court.

    Alhaji Abdulfatai Abereoje, 51, and his younger brother, Jamiu Abereoje, 45, were arraigned on a five-count charge of conspiracy, felony, forgery, unlawful invasion and conduct likely to cause breach of the public peace.

    The Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID), Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, alleged that the defendants and others at large conspired and forged registered survey documents of Oko-Ado community.

    Read also: Judge declines request to order Ekweremadu’s arrest

    The police told Chief Magistrate A. Y. Aro-Lambo that the forgery was part of a plan to forcibly and unlawfully take over a large expanse of land belonging to the Iwajoba Chieftaincy Family.

    Prosecuting counsel Morufu Animashaun alleged that the defendants stationed armed hoodlums on the land, who prevented the  owners, Hassan Ogwu and Smart Clement, from taking possession of the land.

    He said the defendants’ arrest and arraignment followed the FCIID’s investigation of a petition against them from the head of Iwajoba Chieftaincy Family, sometime in 2017.

    The offences, the prosecutor said, contravened sections 411, 52 and 168(1)(d) and were punishable under Section 168(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. It also infringed on sections 2(3), 4(1)(b), 4 (a)(b)(1) of the Properties Protection Laws of Lagos State, 2016.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Animashaun prayed the court to remand them in prison custody pending the conclusion of the matter.

    But the defendants’ counsel, Owoeye Oluwatobi, opposed him on the grounds that the allegations against them were bailable.

    In a bench ruling, Chief Magistrate Aro-Lambo granted each defendant N5 million bail with two sureties each.

    The case continues on November 16.

     

  • ‘Land grabbing’: Family petitions police, task force

    The Afariogun Family, which claimed to be owners of Itapara village and a farmland in the Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State, has petitioned the state’s Special Task Force on Anti-Land Grabbing and the Area Commander of Sagamu Police Command on the activities of a suspected land grabber in the area.

    The family’s counsel, M. A. Omotayo of Bandele Omotayo & Co, said despite a judgment of the State High Court, Sagamu, in their favour, the family was still being molested by the suspected land grabber.

    Omotayo urged the Area Commander to call Ogijo Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to order and stop him from further harassing the family.

    The DPO, Omotayo said, allegedly led some officers on September 1 to arrest her clients on the land.

    She said: “Our clients’ family, including children, were assaulted, injured and taken to Ogijo Police Station on a trumped-up allegation that they heard that our clients were cultists and that they came to Itapara to foment trouble. The women and elders were later released while they detained nine of their children.

    “Those injured were not allowed to make a statement and refused to be given papers to go to the hospital while their phones and money were ceased. The phones’ memory cards, which contained evidence of the activities of the assault, were removed and destroyed by policemen, all in the presence of the DPO, who later ordered that they be charged to court on Monday (September 3) to cover up the truth and pervert justice.

    “At Ogijo Police Station, the DPO and a Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) brought out a double-barrelled gun and some weapons, falsely alleging that they found the weapons on our clients. Challenged by the elders, who went to seek the release of the detained that the DPO and other policemen in Ogijo were aware that the Afariogun Family does not have cult members but those who had been adjudged as owners of the Itapara village and ought not to be harassed, assaulted, maimed and injured by the DPO and his men, the DPO queried why the Afarioguns went into their land without securing his permission.

    “Realising that the charges of cultism cannot be substantiated against our client with the judgment of court, the police then charged our clients with a conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace and assault to the police.

    “It is in the light of the above that we humbly seek your intervention to use your good offices and trusted ability to investigate this matter and save our clients who have pursued their case diligently from being unjustly punished.”

  • Land grabbing

    •It is the duty of governments to think out of the box in resolving land issues

    Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has asked the Federal Government to resolve land grabbing. In the same breath, he vowed to revoke all lands forcibly or illegally acquired: “If you think you can chase people out and grab their land, we as a government would not allow you to own the land.” He added that, to discourage land grabbing, his government was already working out modalities to prosecute land grabbers.

    In colonial time, the colonialists disregarded the importance of land as a factor in construction and consolidation of national groups when they created new states with little consideration for history and culture, in their efforts to create a new state formation to serve colonial interests: the multiethnic or multinational state. Most leaders who succeeded the colonial masters also resolved not to tamper with the state structure bequeathed to them by the colonialists, with the effect that land gradually became a factor in inter-ethnic and inter-regional conflicts as populations rise in many multiethnic African countries.

    Recognising the twinness of land and culture, and to prevent conflict over land among various parts of the federation and indiscriminate land grabbing, Nigeria established The Land Use Act which vests all land in a state in the governor in trust for the citizens. But even this Act has not been able to prevent land grabbing across the country by both domestic business owners and foreign companies. Recent killing of citizens in Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, and Plateau is believed to have been preceded or accompanied by land grabbing. It is, therefore, apt that Governor Lalong has called on the Federal Government to find solutions to the problem.

    Despite advances in hydroponics and aeroponics, two emerging forms of agriculture that do not need a lot of soil, most of the food crops in the world still come from Mother Earth. Over 70% of employed Nigerians farm on the land in a country that is billed to become the world’s third largest human settlement by 2050. It is, therefore, rational for leaders to be concerned about disregard of the Land Use Act. Thus, Governor Lalong’s pledge to prevent land grabbing deserves serious attention from other states and the Federal Government which is responsible for maintenance of peace in the country.

    As responsive to the current crisis as Lalong’s commitment to end land grabbing and forestall violence may be, it may not be enough to just deny approval to existing land grabbers and refuse opportunities to new land speculators. The solution to land acquisition in a country of galloping population with lack of readiness to break out of the constraints of sustenance farming by small-scale farmers must include bold thinking out of the box. There is need for a national strategy to create a balance between the number of citizens whose livelihood depends on tilling the soil and those who work in industries. To achieve this, the country’s political leaders are required to produce a new vision for modernisation of the country. Countries like North America and China are looking for new ways to achieve food security. Some of such countries even conspire with local business interests to encourage land grabbing while cultural communities beholden to traditional farming resort to grabbing of land by violence, as has been done in Plateau, Taraba, and other states.

    The solution to struggle for land resides in new policies to stimulate and sustain new economic opportunities for citizens; renew their mode of production; and give majority of citizens better chance to participate in modern economy. Such opportunities cannot emerge in a country without proper education of citizens, constant electricity supply for citizens and factories, and serious commitment to creation of a polity that is not fixated on tradition in a world that is being driven by change. A country with over 70% of its population working as farmers cannot but see land as a life and death matter. It is the government that ought to think anew about how to transition to modern economy that can provide new employment opportunities for many of such farmers.

  • Protesters want Ambode to probe Ilaje killings

    Hundreds of residents of Ilaje community in Makoko, Lagos on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest to the state House of Assembly over recent killings in the area.

    The protesters urged Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode and Lagos Assembly to probe the alleged killing of four persons in the community on May 10 by men of Lagos State Task Force.

    Addressing the leadership of the House, Mr Alex Omotehinse, spokesman for the protesters, said that the alleged murder of innocent persons by the police required government’s investigation to prevent break down of law and order.

    “Our protest is all about unlawful invasion, killing and maiming of our people by the policemen under the leadership of Jide Bakare, the Chairman, Lagos State Task Force on Land Grabbing.

    “We are not fighting on our land, Bakare led a team of policemen to Ori Oke and Ilaje Community, and invaded the communities, killing four people, while several others were injured.

    “The injured are in the hospitals with gun injuries. The Commissioner of Police said he was not aware of the operation, describing it as illegal.

    “The Lagos Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohinmi, had said that the command set up a committee and that the people involved had been arrested.

    “But surprisingly, those involved are still moving around freely and nothing has been done to them.

    “That’s why we call on the governor and the House of Assembly to set up an independent panel of enquiry so that those who are culpable would be brought to book.

    “As a matter of urgency, this matter must be addressed, we want the police to parade the culprits and stop aiding and abetting them,” he said.

    According to him, if the government failed to act, the Ilaje nation will rise to defend themselves, saying that they were peace-loving people.

    Omotehinse, General Secretary, Ilaje National Alliance Movement, said that the people wanted the arrest and prosecution of those who carried out the attack on the community.

    Omotehinshe, who said that the people had lost confidence in the police to carry out impartial investigation into the case, alleged that the police command was shielding the culprits.

    Also speaking, Mr Adeola Ilori, a human rights lawyer, said that he was pained that the state government had not paid a visit to the family of the victims.

    Ilori said that such attacks on defenceless citizens was not only a threat to the people, but also their future.

    Addressing the protesters, the Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, who commended the protesters for peaceful conduct, said that the House would look into the matter.

    Obasa, who was represented by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Sanai Agunbiade, said: “I want to assure you that this case will be presented to the Speaker.

    “All the issues you have raised are issues of importance and we will look into the matter. All I am telling you is that justice will be done on this matter.”

     

    NAN

  • Lawyer gets bail for ‘land grabbing’

    A lawyer, Segun Adenrele, was yesterday brought before an Igbosere Chief Magistrates’ Court for partaking in land grabbing at Bogije Town in Ibeju-Lekki Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

    Adenrele, 54, was arraigned alongside Ashimiu Korede, 65, by the Federal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID) Alagbon-Ikoyi, before Chief Magistrate Afolashade Botoku.

    They are standing trial on a six-count charge of conspiracy, felony, land grabbing, unlawful and forcible entry into land and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.

    According to the charge, marked B/41/2018, the defendants and others at large, conspired and committed the offences between 2002 and 2018, at Bogije Town.

    They allegedly forcibly and unlawfully entered into the land which was in possession of the lwajoba Chieftaincy family of Ibeju-Lekki.

    According to prosecuting counsel Morufu Animashaun, the offences contravened sections 52, 411 and 168(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and sections 2(3), 3(3)(b), (4)(a)(b)(1) and 7 of the Properties Protection Law of Lagos State, 2016.

    Adenrele and Korede pleaded not guilty.

    Their counsel, S. O. Isanume and Samuel Meadol, applied for their bail “on the most liberal terms.”

    They urged the court to grant Adenrele bail on self-recognition, considering his status as a lawyer.

    The prosecutor did not oppose the request.

    Chief Magistrate Botoku upheld their application in part and released Adenrele on self-recognition.

    But Korede, who was granted N250,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum, was remanded in prison, pending the fulfilment of his bail terms.

    Their trial begins on June 26.

  • Family urges release of members allegedly arrested for land grabbing

    An appeal has gone to the Lagos State government for the release of two persons arrested by the Lagos State Environmental Task force, over a parcel of land at Idiroko, Onigbongbo, Anthony, Lagos.

    Speaking to journalists in Lagos, the spokesperson of the late Bukola Mogba’s family, Mr. Adekunle Mogba said  the agent, the family had commissioned to sell the parcel of the family  while on inspection to the land were arrested by the members of the Lagos State Task Force on Environment. “ The late Mogba before his demise in 2010, was living at No 7, Labinjoh Court, Mushin Lagos. He had a property at Iyaoloye Crescent, Anthony by Idi-Iroko, Onigbongbo Village. LASTMA was on the land and the family approached them that the property belonged to Mogba’s family after showing the agency the documents of the land. They promised to leave. In January this year, LASTMA left the place because we wanted to sell the parcel of land.”

    According to Mogba, some days ago, while inspecting the land, two of the agents of the family were arrested by the Lagos State Task Force on the order of a commissioner.

    Mogba’s family is appealing to the Lagos State government to release two of its agents that are currently being detained adding that the family has registered conveyance from the Western Region.

    Contacted, the spokesman of Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Other Offences, Mr Adebayo Taofeek said the agency was not involved in the matter.

  • Land grabbing: Family wants government to intervene

    An aggrieved family has petitioned the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, to save them from the activities of an alleged land grabber, who has allegedly left the Ojo Aro Osakuajo family of Ado Ekiti in dire straits. The family claims it was dealt a big blow when a man simply identified as Abayomi Akogun, popularly known as Lawstay, forcefully entered into and seized several hectares of land along Ado/Ikere road opposite Atlas Motel, Ado Ekiti, which belongs to the Ojo Aro Osakuajo family.

    The spokesman of the family, Mr. Sunday Ojo Aro, said the land was a generational inheritance, under customary law and alleged Abayomi Akogun procured a fake Certificate of Occupancy to enable him sell part of the land.

    Reacting to the allegation, Abayomi Akogun said: “I don’t know any Ojo Aro (Petitioner). The so called petitioner’s grandfather trespassed on this land and sold to the various people we engaged in law court and all were defeated.”

    When The Nation contacted Mr. Ibitoye Adeyiola, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, to find out if the ministry has ever issued any document as regards the hectares of land, the official said, “Please I can’t give you any information about the land, you are to write a letter to us and we will reply you”

    When The Nation eventually wrote an official letter to the Ministry of Land and Housing, the Permanent Secretary confirmed receiving the letter but when this reporter called him few days later, he said: “I have checked through our record, we didn’t issue any C of O on the land. If anybody says he has the C of O, let him or her bring it out.”

     

  • Land grabbing: Alleged notorious kingpin fails to meet bail conditions

    Embattled suspected land grabber, Chief Kamorudeen Lamina aka Sir K, has failed to meet conditions for his bail as ordered by the Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Oshodi.

    The court has declared the sureties presented by Lamina, as unverifiable and thus unable to stand for his bail.

    The state government, through the Special Task Force on Land Grabbers set up by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration, had on June 16, 2017 arraigned Lamina and others before the court over alleged forceful dispossession of residents from their legitimate rights to land ownership.

    In his ruling after their arraignment, Magistrate Lateef Owolabi had granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N1 million and two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must be a land owner in Lagos, while the other must be a civil servant not below grade level 15. The sureties must have three years tax clearance and registration with Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA).

    The Magistrate had also ordered the defendants to deposit N150, 000 each with the court, while they are to be remanded in Badagry Prison pending when they were able to meet their bail conditions.

    But Lamina and other defendants have failed in their many attempts to meet the stringent conditions of his bail, by presenting persons that the Court has found to be unverifiable to stand as surety.

    Lamina and his gang were said to have been terrorising the people of Ikorodu area of the State for some time before he was arrested on June 15, 2017.

    Others arraigned alongside him included Mr Omotola Ogunsanmi, Mr Samson Shobule (A.K.A Samson Salau), Biliaminu Orega (A.K.A Biliaminu Salau), Alhaji Jimoh Aromasodu, Alhaji Wasiu Orenuga and Alhaji Nurudeen Kasali.

    In counts one and two, Lamina, sometime in February 2017 in Mowo Kekere area of Ikorodu Local Government, allegedly forcibly took over one plot of land which was sold to one Mrs Ebere Okafor by Ifegbuwa family contrary to Section 2 (1) of the Lagos State Properties Protection Law 2016.

    The action was allegedly carried out by Lamina despite the fact that the sale of the land had been ratified with proof of payment.

    The fraudulent sale, which was allegedly carried out in January 2017, was perfected by the defendants, fraudulently claiming to be the descendants of Ifegbuwa family.

    In count six, the defendants were accused of fraudulent selling 25 hectares of land to third parties without any lawful right to do so, an offence punishable under the law.

    The matter has been adjourned to July 13.