The Balogun Olooro Family Akodo, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State has appealed to the Lagos State Government to intervene in the alleged land grabbing incident over about 48 plots of land belonging to the family.
A statement signed by the head of the family alleged that the Land located at Akodo Waterfront in Ibeji Lekk, Lagos State is been encroached upon with the connivance of Commissioner for Waterfront, Architect Kabiru Ahmed.
The statement drew that attention of the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to alleged attempt to deny them their lands without compensation of any sort.
The Balogun Olooro Family of Akodo Town, Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State is constrained to alert the people of Lagos State and her Governor; Mr Babajide Sawo-Olu on the intensive land grabbing activities and conversion of beachfront properties for private use by Architect Kabiru Ahmed by surreptitiously using government to stylishly disposes land owners of their property without either paying them compensation or drawing the attention of Government to the need to follow the due.
“we wish to state that the Balogun Olooro family of Akodo own a large expanse of land facing the Beach beside the popular Eko-tourist and landed properties which housed the former Ibeju-Lekki, Local Government Secretariat and now housing the Police Base in Ibeju-Lekki. To the surprise of the family, we started seeing Architect Kabiru Ahmed visiting the property secretly even at odd hours,” the statement alleged.
Continuing, the statement said “upon our investigation and challenging him, we noticed a private hotel development plan which is neither for the Federal Government, State Government to say the least for the local government and the secret issuance of allocation letter to an undisclosed private developer in the state by the ministry of lands. After the discovery of the above, we requested an official meeting with Architect Kabiru Ahmed via phone calls which he never picked and via text messages which he never responded.”
Stating Further it added “If Architect Kabiru Ahmed is interested in acquiring the property, he should approach the land-owning family for possible negotiations not by using government to grab what doesn’t belong to him.
The family are now using this letter to warn Architect Kabiru Ahmed, and any person not authorised by the family to come near the property as ownership and possession of the property still resides in the Balogun Olooro Family of Akodo, Ibeju-lekki, Lagos State as empowered by all the laws.”
Beelow is the full statement
RE: 48 PLOTS OF LAND AT AKODO WATERFRONT (BEACHFRONT) IN IBEJU-LEKKI, LAGOS STATE; SAVE OUR SOUL LETTER TO THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE, A CALL TO ORDER ON THE COMMISSIONER OF WATERFRONT; ARCHITECT KABIRU AHMED TO AVERT FACE-OFF WITH THE INDIGENES OF AKODO AND IBEJU-LEKKI AT LARGE. A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE.The BALOGUN OLOORO Family of AKODO TOWN, Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State is constrained to alert the people of Lagos State and her Governor; Mr Babajide Sawo-Olu on the intensive land grabbing activities and conversion of beachfront properties for private use by Architect Kabiru Ahmed by surreptitiously using government to stylishly disposes land owners of their property without either paying them compensation or drawing the attention of Government to the need to follow the due process of the law acceptable globally.We want to add that the grabbing of this asset and multiple illegality that follows it have become more widespread since the ARCHITECT KABIRU AHMED has assumed wide power under the government of MR BABAJIDE OLUSHOLA SANWO-OLU and he believes he can get away with whatever wrong he commits..Before explaining to the public events leading to this land grabbing attempt by the commissioner of waterfront, we wish to state that the Balogun Olooro family of Akodo own a large expanse of land facing the Beach beside the popular EKO-TOURIST and landed properties which housed the former Ibeju-Lekki, Local Government Secretariat and now housing the POLICE BASE in Ibeju-Lekki.To the surprise of the family, we started seeing ARCHITECT KABIRU AHMED visiting the property secretly even at odd hours and upon our investigation and challenging him, we noticed a private hotel development plan which is neither for the Federal Government, State Government to say the least for the local government and the secret issuance of allocation letter to an undisclosed private developer in the state by the ministry of lands.After the discovery of the above, we requested an official meeting with ARCHITECT KABIRU AHMED via phone calls which he never picked and via text messages which he never responded.Then we engaged the services of an indigenous lawyer who wrote him several letters seeking his attention to explain the prime purpose of grabbing the said 48 Plots for private use and to see how the families can be compensated and not lose the land that now worth well over One Billion Naira only. Uptil the writing of this letter, the ARCHITECT KABIRU AHMED never responded nor awken to the yearnings of the landowners and yet he is seen developing the property without neither for overriding public interest purposes and without the payment of compensation to the natives.Gleaning from the above and without mincing words, we see ARCHITECT KABIRU AHMED as a land grabber in GOVERNMENT UNIFORM who deserves to be sanctioned by the EXECUITVE GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE.To us as indigenes of Lagos state, we see it as a slap for non-Lagosian from KATSINA STATE to come to Lagos State and grab our land by using the force of government to subdue our people and get away with it without check from government. THIS IS UNFAIR!!!We are cocksure beyond reasonable doubt that the Executive Governor of Lagos State is not aware of this land grabbing mess.
If ARCHITECT KABIRU AHMED is interested in acquiring the property, he should approach the land-owning family for possible negotiations not by using government to grab what doesn’t belong to him.The family are now using this letter to warn ARCHITECT KABIRU AHMED, and any person not authorized by the family to come near the property as ownership and possession of the property still resides in the BALOGUN OLOORO FAMILY OF AKODO, IBEJU-LEKKI, LAGOS STATE as empowered by all the laws regulating property ownership in Nigeria.We therefore call on the Governor of Lagos State to prevail on ARCHIETECT KABIRU AHMED and his shadow land grabbing (Waterfront) cartels to stop this ungodly, illegal, unlawful attempt as it constitutes criminal attempt to cause breach of the public peace which may snowball to bloodbath.We also call on the State House of Assembly under the leadership of ALHAJI (Dr) Rt Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa to commence investigation into this anti-government attempt masterminded by ARCHITECT KABIRU AHMED and his shadow sponsors.We want to declare that Nigeria is a country governed by law and all
citizens of the country are to submit to the rule of law for peace and justice to reign.If however, the executive governor of Lagos State and the House of Assembly fail to take action on this stray commissioner from KATSINA STATE, we will take the matter beyond Lagos State and ask the ICPC to look into this land grabbing spree by a commissioner in Lagos State.
We have never doubted the capacity of the government of Lagos State to deal with matters like this as we assure you of our esteem cooperation.E-Signed:Head of the FamilyBalogun Olooro FamilyAkodo, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State
