KINGSLEY EBERE
The residents of Ijeododo community in Alimosho Local Government area of Lagos State have protested over the invasion of their community lands by suspected land grabbers posing as officials of Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and they are seek for the intervention of the Federal Government.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the residents led by the Baale, High Chief Abu Jelili Ayinde Ododo, marched on the streets with placards with different inscriptions lamenting over some unknown developers under the guise of the Federal Housing Authority named “New FESTAC Development Property” to demolish and seize individual lands and properties worth billions of Naira.
One of the estates demolished by the suspected land grabbers is the multi billion Naira estate developed by members of the Ndigbo Buru’Otu Association of Nigeria, an Igbo association that acquired vast land for its members to build on about 5 years ago.
Members of the association had rude shock on Thursday, March 24, 2024, as demolition was being orchestrated by officials of FHA on some already-erected structures on their lands.
The members then went to the Baale of Ijeododo, Chief Ododo, who sold the land to them to find out if they were actually FHA land but he denied knowing the reason for FHA’s demolition plan.
According to members of the association, the land was sold to them by the Baale and cleared all hindrances that could arise in the future, such as demolition or grabbing, with receipts and necessary documentation to back up the land purchase legitimately.
The Federal Housing Authority, in response to the demolition orchestrated in Ijeododo, declined responsibility for the said act, which led the affected persons to implore an inquest into the matter at hand.
Findings by the association showed that FHA had no hand in the demolition but an external development company called “New FESTAC and Development Property”, known as ruthless land grabbers, who go about with firearms and ammunition with the aim to maim any unwilling individual not ready to part with land or property of interest.
Baale Ododo, reacting over the demolition, stated that he was still in shock because such incidents have never happened in the history of the Ijeododo community.
He explained initially that the community thought that it was FHA that was behind the demolition but further investigation showed that FHA was not involved but a developing company known as New FESTAC Development Property.
He stated that there is a petition at Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos, over the dastardly act of demolition going on in Ijedodo land but the perpetrators did not show up. They have remained faceless but will only reappear on people’s lands with guns and weapons to terrorise land owners at very vulnerable times.
Ododo Musa, the secretary of the Ododo family, also revealed that the land grabbers perpetrate their acts with the use of force carried out by the Nigerian Police Task Force to shoot and harass people.
The residents of Ijedodo community are seeking the intervention of the Federal Government on the matter for the land grabbers to be called to order to avoid the matter escalating because several of people’s properties were being demolished on daily basis.
Some members of the Ndigbo Buru’Otu Association of Nigeria, as represented by Ugochukwu Ifomadu and Chief (Mrs). Rufina Emedurunwa, expressed disappointment and loss of huge amount of money spent so far in sand filling and erection of structures on the affected lands worth billions of Naira, which will waste away except a solution is proffered.
Hon. Rufina lamented over the health-related crisis suffered by hard-working earners, who have committed all available resources to provide a roof over their heads and urged the Federal Government to promptly intervene on the matter.