the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Monday Ubani.
Monday Ubani, a former Second Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA) has raised alarm over the illegal invasion and
forceful occupation of a landed property in Ikeja area of Lagos by
land grabbers, allegedly working with officials of Lagos State
Government.
![image](/2020/10/lawreport.jpg")
In a statement titled ‘HOW NOT TO USE THE AGENCIES OF
GOVERNMENT IN LAGOS STATE TO GRAB SOMEONE’S LAND’, Ubani
accused some officials in the Ministry of Transport and Environment
of aiding the land grabbers to perpetrate the nefarious
activity.
![image](/2020/10/NWLRland.jpg")
He wrote “Today the 31st of December, 2020 I started to lose
faith once again in the country called Nigeria. I became alarmed
because it is beginning to appear that MIGHT IS RIGHT irrespective
of the right of the victim!”
“Few months ago some men led by one “Engr” Abiodun Ariori and
few others working in cahoot with other land grabbers invaded a
piece of land situate and lying at No 1 Folurunsho Kuku Street, Off
Agbaoku, Opebi covered with a certificate of occupancy obtained
since 1989 belonging to a client company owned by a known Nigerian.
The invasion was with thugs and mopol personnel who I understand
are men he uses to guide himself and his business”.
“I went to the land and confirmed the invasion. I enquired from
the Mopol personnel under whose authority they invaded the land,
they answered they were under the instructions of one Abiodun
Ariori”
I reported the matter to the Nigerian Police Force and they were
arrested. When asked why they invaded the land of someone else, Mr
Abiodun Ariori started to brandish a purported supreme court
judgement that was delivered since 1990.
I sought and obtained the judgement and found out that the
judgement has nothing to do with the said land in question. The
judgement was in respect of a piece of property in Onigbagbon Area
of Ikeja where Eko Hospital is presently situated. My client’s land
is at 1 Folurunsho Kuku Street, Off Agbaoku that is several
kilometres away from the said land in Onigbagbon with a certificate
of occupancy obtained in 1989. Besides, if it is judgement of court
they came to enforce, they ought to use the Court Sheriffs and
officials for the enforcement and not thugs and men of Mopol.
Since it is a land matter, I advised myself that court action
will be appropriate. I sued and joined all the people that claimed
that they were enforcing a supreme Court judgement by invading the
land. They were duly served personally and by substituted means.
When they refused to appear or respond to the claims and reliefs of
my client, the court granted an injunction against them. The
injunction was also served and pasted on the property. The suit No
is ID/6199/LMW/2020.
Up till now that I am typing this piece, Mr Abiodun Ariori and
his gang of land grabbers have refused to file any response to the
claim. Rather they have been boasting that they own Lagos and that
they were the ones that installed the present government and they
will teach the owner of the land that they own everybody here in
Lagos.
A week ago, we woke up to see and hear that allegedly Ministry
of Transport and Environment came to paste Notice that the
mechanics who are there legitimately at the instance of the owner
should vacate there within 48 Hours. We have pictures of the Notice
pasted on all the cars and on the property by the Ministry of
Transport.
I immediately called the Commissioner of Transport, Lagos, a
perfect gentleman who picked my calls and asked that investigation
be conducted on who in his ministry was behind it. I later found
out that one Hon Fayinka in the Ministry of Transport was working
with the land grabbers to take over the land illegitimately. I say
this because I put a call across to the said Hon Fayinka and he
boasted to me that they are coming to take over the land very soon
as they are acting on instructions from higher quarters.
I immediately wrote to the Commissioner of Transport and copied
his Permanent Secretary of what the Ministry was about to do. I am
yet to receive a response to the letter as I have evidence that it
was delivered.
Today being the 31st of December 2020 I received a call from the
Mechanics on site that Lagos State Officials from the Governor’s
Office, Enforcement Unit invaded the land with caterpillars,
trucks, towing vans and over 150 police officials and thugs and
beat and arrested everyone on site. They beat those mechanics to
stupor, arrested them and put them in black Maria and set out to
tow all the vehicles away to Alausa. They used the caterpillar to
destroy everything on site, pulled down some erected structures
therein and padlocked the place. In fact as I type all the vehicles
are at Alausa in the Ministry of Transport.
To compound the case they came with the land grabbers who were
boasting that they have taught the owner a lesson that they own
lagos and they are about to start building on the land despite the
court order.
I have spoken to the Commissioners of Transport Hon Oladeinde
and Environment, gentleman Mr Tunji Bello who have all denied
knowledge of the invasion.
I have also spoken to the Chairman of Lagos State Task Force who
is also apparently not aware of this illegal operation of using
state apparatus to carry out personal ambition of notorious land
grabbers.
Presently they have padlocked the private property and ensure
thugs are hanging around with dangerous weapons to harm anyone that
wants to enter into the property. All the vehicles have been towed
to Lagos State Ministry of Transport.
For God’s sake, is this how to enforce court judgement if any?
Why would a citizen in a bid to grab someone’s land use State
apparatus, officials and vehicles to grab a land that is presently
a subject of litigation at the State High Court? Why have they
refused to file any defence to our action in court, preferring to
use force to take over a property which the court has granted an
injunction? Are we now back to state of anomie where might is
right, where the wealthy and strong destroys the weak and poor?
Please I need the Governor of Lagos State His Excellency Jide
Sanwo Olu to know that they are using his name as the person that
authorised the State officials to take over someone’s land in a
matter that is presently in court. In my 30 years of practice as a
legal practitioner, the Governor’s office or any State Ministry CAN
NEVER AND WILL NEVER BE USED TO EXECUTE COURT’S JUDGEMENT. IT IS
THE COURT OFFICIALS THAT ARE EMPOWERED BY LAW TO EXECUTE A VALID
COURT’S JUDGEMENT.
“Please let this write up go viral until it gets to the ear and
eyes of the Governor of Lagos State. We cannot allow few bad
elements in this State to destroy what Lagos State the Centre of
Excellence stands for, NEVER”.
“The Land grabbers have promised to start erecting structures on
the land by tomorrow being the 1st of January, 2021. God will keep
us all alive to see how this brazen impunity will be allowed to
happen here in Lagos and in NIGERIA!”
the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Monday Ubani.
Monday Ubani, a former Second Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA) has raised alarm over the illegal invasion and
forceful occupation of a landed property in Ikeja area of Lagos by
land grabbers, allegedly working with officials of Lagos State
Government.
In a statement titled ‘HOW NOT TO USE THE AGENCIES OF
GOVERNMENT IN LAGOS STATE TO GRAB SOMEONE’S LAND’, Ubani
accused some officials in the Ministry of Transport and Environment
of aiding the land grabbers to perpetrate the nefarious
activity.
He wrote “Today the 31st of December, 2020 I started to lose
faith once again in the country called Nigeria. I became alarmed
because it is beginning to appear that MIGHT IS RIGHT irrespective
of the right of the victim!”
“Few months ago some men led by one “Engr” Abiodun Ariori and
few others working in cahoot with other land grabbers invaded a
piece of land situate and lying at No 1 Folurunsho Kuku Street, Off
Agbaoku, Opebi covered with a certificate of occupancy obtained
since 1989 belonging to a client company owned by a known Nigerian.
The invasion was with thugs and mopol personnel who I understand
are men he uses to guide himself and his business”.
“I went to the land and confirmed the invasion. I enquired from
the Mopol personnel under whose authority they invaded the land,
they answered they were under the instructions of one Abiodun
Ariori”
I reported the matter to the Nigerian Police Force and they were
arrested. When asked why they invaded the land of someone else, Mr
Abiodun Ariori started to brandish a purported supreme court
judgement that was delivered since 1990.
I sought and obtained the judgement and found out that the
judgement has nothing to do with the said land in question. The
judgement was in respect of a piece of property in Onigbagbon Area
of Ikeja where Eko Hospital is presently situated. My client’s land
is at 1 Folurunsho Kuku Street, Off Agbaoku that is several
kilometres away from the said land in Onigbagbon with a certificate
of occupancy obtained in 1989. Besides, if it is judgement of court
they came to enforce, they ought to use the Court Sheriffs and
officials for the enforcement and not thugs and men of Mopol.
Since it is a land matter, I advised myself that court action
will be appropriate. I sued and joined all the people that claimed
that they were enforcing a supreme Court judgement by invading the
land. They were duly served personally and by substituted means.
When they refused to appear or respond to the claims and reliefs of
my client, the court granted an injunction against them. The
injunction was also served and pasted on the property. The suit No
is ID/6199/LMW/2020.
Up till now that I am typing this piece, Mr Abiodun Ariori and
his gang of land grabbers have refused to file any response to the
claim. Rather they have been boasting that they own Lagos and that
they were the ones that installed the present government and they
will teach the owner of the land that they own everybody here in
Lagos.
A week ago, we woke up to see and hear that allegedly Ministry
of Transport and Environment came to paste Notice that the
mechanics who are there legitimately at the instance of the owner
should vacate there within 48 Hours. We have pictures of the Notice
pasted on all the cars and on the property by the Ministry of
Transport.
I immediately called the Commissioner of Transport, Lagos, a
perfect gentleman who picked my calls and asked that investigation
be conducted on who in his ministry was behind it. I later found
out that one Hon Fayinka in the Ministry of Transport was working
with the land grabbers to take over the land illegitimately. I say
this because I put a call across to the said Hon Fayinka and he
boasted to me that they are coming to take over the land very soon
as they are acting on instructions from higher quarters.
I immediately wrote to the Commissioner of Transport and copied
his Permanent Secretary of what the Ministry was about to do. I am
yet to receive a response to the letter as I have evidence that it
was delivered.
Today being the 31st of December 2020 I received a call from the
Mechanics on site that Lagos State Officials from the Governor’s
Office, Enforcement Unit invaded the land with caterpillars,
trucks, towing vans and over 150 police officials and thugs and
beat and arrested everyone on site. They beat those mechanics to
stupor, arrested them and put them in black Maria and set out to
tow all the vehicles away to Alausa. They used the caterpillar to
destroy everything on site, pulled down some erected structures
therein and padlocked the place. In fact as I type all the vehicles
are at Alausa in the Ministry of Transport.
To compound the case they came with the land grabbers who were
boasting that they have taught the owner a lesson that they own
lagos and they are about to start building on the land despite the
court order.
I have spoken to the Commissioners of Transport Hon Oladeinde
and Environment, gentleman Mr Tunji Bello who have all denied
knowledge of the invasion.
I have also spoken to the Chairman of Lagos State Task Force who
is also apparently not aware of this illegal operation of using
state apparatus to carry out personal ambition of notorious land
grabbers.
Presently they have padlocked the private property and ensure
thugs are hanging around with dangerous weapons to harm anyone that
wants to enter into the property. All the vehicles have been towed
to Lagos State Ministry of Transport.
For God’s sake, is this how to enforce court judgement if any?
Why would a citizen in a bid to grab someone’s land use State
apparatus, officials and vehicles to grab a land that is presently
a subject of litigation at the State High Court? Why have they
refused to file any defence to our action in court, preferring to
use force to take over a property which the court has granted an
injunction? Are we now back to state of anomie where might is
right, where the wealthy and strong destroys the weak and poor?
Please I need the Governor of Lagos State His Excellency Jide
Sanwo Olu to know that they are using his name as the person that
authorised the State officials to take over someone’s land in a
matter that is presently in court. In my 30 years of practice as a
legal practitioner, the Governor’s office or any State Ministry CAN
NEVER AND WILL NEVER BE USED TO EXECUTE COURT’S JUDGEMENT. IT IS
THE COURT OFFICIALS THAT ARE EMPOWERED BY LAW TO EXECUTE A VALID
COURT’S JUDGEMENT.
“Please let this write up go viral until it gets to the ear and
eyes of the Governor of Lagos State. We cannot allow few bad
elements in this State to destroy what Lagos State the Centre of
Excellence stands for, NEVER”.
“The Land grabbers have promised to start erecting structures on
the land by tomorrow being the 1st of January, 2021. God will keep
us all alive to see how this brazen impunity will be allowed to
happen here in Lagos and in NIGERIA!”