Land tussle: Property firm seeks Sanwo-Olu’s intervention

THE firm of Messrs Redline Properties Limited has sent an urgent letter to the Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, seeking his intervention and help to recover its parcel of land situated along Lagos/Epe Experessway opposite Alaun town via Eleko, Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area.

The particular land, the firm alleged, has been illegally invaded by another firm under the pretense of the authority’s backing.

In a petition dated December 22, 2022, written to the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioners of Justice, the company alleged unlawful encroachment, criminal invasion and forceful takeover/land grabbing of its landed properties.

The petition was signed by an officer of Redline Properties Limited, Mr Olamilekan Olaleye.

The piece of land was said to have belonged originally to Mr. Femi Romiluyi and Mrs Abisola Romiluyi (THE ASSIGNORS).

The land, which measures approximately 3,988.399 square metres (sqms) with the Deed of Assignment dated August 30, 2018 and Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) dated 5th June 2016, was registered as No.56 at page 56 in volume 2016E of the Lands Registry in the office at Alausa, Ikeja Lagos State.

According to Olaleye, the land cost Redline Properties Limited N120 million, adding that the same land has suddenly been occupied illegally by another firm, who claimed to have the “government’s backing to grab the land.”

He said his company became worried about the ugly development and approached the Permanent Secretary, Lagos’ Land Bureau, Mr Bode Agoro.

“Mr Agoro queried whether the regularization has been done, which the answer was affirmative and the document evidence was promptly presented.

“The survey plan No is FSC/LA/1595/103/2007 and dated 30th October 2007. The location is Lagos/Epe Expressway, opp.Alaun Town via Eleko and the size of the land is 3,988.339 square meters.

The regularization document was signed by T. O. Adenuga, Director of Land Regularisation,” he said.

Olaleye claimed that Redline had sent petitions to all the offices handling land matters and “all directed us back to Bode Agoro to do the needful by calling off this land grabbers.”

While calling on the governor to wade into the matter as a matter of urgency, he said “Also, we have all evidence that will not be good for the government when the public sees what is going on.”We have conducted our investigations and the links between the company and Ministry of Lands, Lagos State.”

“Their action to grab 14,000 hectares of land where lots of people have C of O and Regularisation is causing chaos in that region already which may soon escalates.

Efforts to get the official of the ministry to talk about the issue proved abortive as no one was ready to say anything about the issue.

Olaleye alleged that Mr Agoro was quoted to have said that the land was acquired by the state government, wondering how construction is being allowed to go on on the acquired land every mid-night.