Police demolish over 500 illegal buildings errected on police estate land

Residents of Badagry wailed uncontrollably yesterday as over 200 policemen from the Lagos State Police Command demolished over 500 buildings erected on a land meant for police estate.

The armed policemen stormed the 950-plot land (65 hectares) around 10am with about seven bulldozers and began demolition immediately.

Residents watched helplessly as structures worth billions of naira were destroyed.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, had ordered the command to take possession of the land which the police acquired about seven years ago with the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) from the Lagos State Government in 2008.

Men, women and children wept openly as their properties went down in seconds with bulldozers at work. Some of them were allowed to park their belongings before the exercise.

The operation was led by the Area Commander, Area ‘K,’ Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Osu Ekpo. Officers of the Rapid Respond Squad (RRS), Taskforce and policemen from Area ‘K’ took part in the operation on the land located at Atinporome, Mowo Phase II, Badagry.

A police source said an eviction notice was issued to the occupants to vacate in 2011, while another one was issued three weeks ago.

Taskforce Chairman Bayo Sulaiman said the residents encroached on the land as the police has a genuine title document of the land including a C of O signed by Governor Babatunde Fashola in 2008.

According to him, land grabbers, popularly known as Omo Onile sold the land illegally to unsuspecting public, adding that the action was taken because the police wanted to claim the land to build an estate for its officers

A victim, Waidi Yakubu, who said he built his house nine years ago, claimed he bought his land from a genuine source, but without a C of O. He appealed to the state government for help.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Ngozi Braide could not be reached for comments .

The Nation