By Oluwaseyi Fadoro
The occupants of 400 Acres of land in Ayobo, owned by late business Mogul and Philanthropist, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale, MKO, Abiola, have called for the immediate intervention of Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and Commissioner of Police to come to their rescue following invasion of their community by hundreds of hoodlums allegedly brought into the area by some warring party in Abiola’s family.
The restive residents claimed to be currently sleeping with one eye closed over fears of possible attack from the warring party in Abiola’s families.
Fresh crisis had broken out within MKO Abiola’s families following legal battle on the true ownership of the land in Ayobo area of the state between Radio Communication Nigeria, RCN, Limited and some section within the family. The land under dispute is located at Igbo Ilogbo, Ayobo, Ipaja-Ayobo Local Council Development Area, LCDA, where thousands of residents reside.
Earlier, some members of the late Abiola’s family in an attempt to enforce a court judgment of March 14, 2019 that confers ownership of the land in dispute on MKO Abiola, directed all tenants to come forward for regularization of their titles or risk ejection.
However, the Chairman of RCN and son of late MKO, Kola Abiola, reacting to the development, described the claim by some section of the family as “fraudulent exercise being perpetrated by the invaders.”
Speaking on-behalf of the residents at a stakeholders’ meeting, the solicitor, Tunji Adeyemi, explained that:“Kola Abiola, Chairman RCM, has said his side of this story and this our other side of the story.
“On the 14th of March 2019 early in the morning some agents acting for yet to be identified persons and parading the Igbo-Ilogbo, Ayobo, issued threat that they have got a court judgment and moved in full force to forcibly take over the possession of the land belonging to RCM, the only legal owner of the land in dispute.
“About four Sheriffs of High Court of Lagos State and police men and over a thousand thugs invaded Abiola Farms’ estate consisting of many communities and also the Estates have seven Community Development Associations, CDAs and over 500 households. They broke into peoples’ houses riding on bikes disturbing our children from going to school and traumatized the entire community.
“At the last count we have about five people who suffered miscarriage, while some Landlords had been in the hospital and some have developed high blood pressure and some cannot sleep in their house anymore.”
Giving the background to the development, he recalled that there was a judgment of high court obtained in the suit no 11D155 1986 in favour of NRC and that judgment was appealed again and another judgment was given in appeal no CA/L/199/1994 this two judgments were in favour of NRC since 2002 NRC has taken full charge of the land. At a point Lagos State Government took over the land and they went to court and they got the judgment and Lagos State Government relinquished the land back to NRC and they have sold larger potion to many people who have built houses and also reside.
“All of a sudden some people got same judgment at the High Court which was against the people who got the land from NRC.”
“We are ready to defend our legal and human rights against any aggression from any group or groups of person, hence, the need for immediate intervention by the governor and CP, Subairu Muazu to nib what could degenerate into a community clash and possible loss of lives and properties.”
The lawyer, however, presented a petition and an affidavit by Chairman RCM, which read in part: Following De-Renovation of the entire of land by the Government of Lagos state, De-Revocation notice was Gazetted in Lagos State Government official Gazette No 42 in volume 114dated the 6th day of
October 2011.”
Also, in the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja, Suit No: ID/155/1986 with affidavit in support stated: Mr. Kola Abiola, Male and Nigerian Citizen states on oath as follows: “That I am the chairman of the Board of Directors of the applicant herein. That I know the facts of this case by virtue of my position: That I have the authority of the applicant to depose to this affidavit.
“That I know as a matter of facts and by virtue of my position that there was no board meeting and resolution taken to reveal date the judgment of the Honourable Court which at all material times is in favour of the Applicant.
“That there was no time the Applicant through the Board of Directors or any of the Directors appointed and or employed the services of Olufemi I. Falana Esq and Chidinma Nwosu Esq parties sought to be joined, to prosecute and or re-validate the judgment in this suit which as stated in the above paragraphs.”
The other parties in the family had said they were willing to compensate people who had wrongly bought the land from the wrong people with evidence on the judgment concerns showing delineated survey plan, No. RA/144 dated 25th March, 1977, and covered by the Deed of Conveyance dated March 28, 1977, and registered as No. 24 in Volume 1620 of the Land Registry, Lagos.
However, the Attorney to the other faction of the family, Victor Olawale, in his remark, said the law says before anyone pays for a piece of land, there is need to survey the land to ensure the land has not been bought by somebody, explaining that the illegal occupiers of Chief MKO Abiola Farms needed to survey the land before making payments for plots there