MICHAEL AKINOLA
Members of the Oyetubo Jokotade Family of Ajah on Thursday appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo Olu and the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Dr. Mudasiru Obasa, to put an end to the disregard of Court orders by agencies of the Lagos State Government and some individuals, who hide under them.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the family, while staging a peaceful protest at the Lagos State Governor’s Office, Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday claimed that despite two separate Court orders, invaders have continued to operate on the family land in the Sangotedo area of Ajah.
The Oyetubo Jokotade Family said that after obtaining two different interlocutory orders from the Court, the defendants are still working on the land that is measuring about two hundred and twelve hectares of land, allocated to Oyemade Royal family as at 1996.
The Baale of Oyemade family in Eti-osa, Sangotedo, Baale Jamiu King Akinsemoyin, called on the Lagos State Governor to instruct the invaders to vacate the land belonging to his family and respect the rule of law.
“I respectfully call on President Tinubu and the Lagos State Governor to please tell the people to vacate our land, because we don’t want bloodshed and I don’t want our people to take laws into their hands.”
“Despite the Court orders, they are still working on the land, whereas we the defendants are obeying the Court order,” the community head stated.
Another member of the family, Saliu Tajudeen, stated that the Thursday protest was aimed at calling the attention of the President and State Governor to intervene on the matter because all the good things they are doing in Lagos are being spoiled by the invaders, who do not have respect for Court orders.
Tajudeen stated that: “We have obtained an interlocutory injunction as far back as eight years asking all parties to stay away from the land till judgement is given and we got another one not too long ago”.
He added, “Recently, we held a protest on the land but to our surprise, they went back to the land and started working there”.
“We went back to the Court and got another restraining order that everybody included the invaders and Police should keep off the site, yet they are still working there.”
The family member added, “We are giving them seven days to stop work on the land and if they refuse, we shall take the matter to Abuja”.
“The Company that is building on the land is ‘ASO Savings and Loan. They are leveraging on the fact that their former solicitor has become the Attorney General of the state, that is why they are using power on us to continue working there.”
He also pleaded, “The Governor should please tell his people to obey the Court order”.
Barr. Tope Odeniran, a solicitor to the Jokotade Estate Resources, stated that the Lagos State Government, Attorney General of the state and some of his agencies and individuals are defendants in the matter in question.
Barr. Odeniran said, “Despite the two interlocutory injunctions obtained by the claimant against the defendants all together but it is shocking that the defendants with the help of Task Force are still on the land”.
He added, “The first order restraining the defendants from doing anything or working on the land was obtained in 2018 and another one was issued on November 22, 2023, restraining them from doing anything on the land”.
“So, we are calling on the Governor to ensure prompt intervention on this matter to prevent breaking down of law and order and also to prevent anarchy” the lawyer said.
“The matter is already before a competent Court of jurisdiction and we have submitted to the Court and pursuing the matter and we cannot take the law into our hands as they are doing” he added.