Communities in Badagry protest land encroachment by Nigerian Army in Lagos

By RAJI RASAK

Five communities in Badagry, Lagos on Monday protested at the premises of the local government secretariat over alleged encroachment on their land by the Nigerian Army.

The communities told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Badagry that they resorted to protest to draw the attention of the state and federal governments to their plights.

The communities are Apanuko, Alafia Whalatokomeh, Agblimakaku, Whawu and Jijoho, all along Samuel Ekundayo Road in Badagry, Lagos.

Chief Viavoh Mobee, the Bale of Apanuko said that the communities had earlier sent protest letters to Defence Headquarters, Abuja, House of Representatives and Lagos State House of Assembly on the issue.

NAN reports that the communities had also protested on March 6 at the Palace of Akran of Badagry, Aholu Menu Toyi 1.

The Akran, however, assured them that the matter would be settled amicably by the authorities involved.

At the Badagry Local Government, Chief Viavoh Mobee, the Bale of Apanuko told the council Chairman, Mr Olusegun Onilude that the communities thought the issue over the land was resolved in 2012.

According to Mobee, in 2012, the Nigerian Army released the said land to about seven communities in Badagry and it was documented in July 15, 2015 that the land belonged to the communities.

“We are worried when the Nigerian Army returned in 2022 and begun a perimeter fencing of the land in five out of the seven communities.

“We are appealing to Defence Headquarters, state and local governments to explain to the communities what is happening,” he said.

Mr Ganiyu Akindokun, the Secretary, Alafia Whalatokomeh community, said they had sent series of letters to Defence Headquarters, Abuja, House of Representatives and

Lagos State House of Assembly, but no response.

Akindokun said the communities need response from the appropriate quarters on the encroachment of the land.

Mrs Helen Adebayo, a landlord at Divine LCDA in Jijoho, said the Nigerian Army had marked houses in five communities in the area, indicating that the land belonged to them.

“Seeing the Army marks on the houses, the blood pressure of many landlords have risen because no appropriate quarter is discussing with the communities.

“Most of us built our houses with our gratuities and loans from cooperative societies.

“Some of us are widows and retirees; where do we go if the houses are demolished,” she said.

Responding, a senior official of the council, Mr Sejiro Asokere, who represented Onilude, urged the communities to remain calm.

Onilude commended them for engaging in peaceful protest and urged them to return to their homes as the council meet with the appropriate authorities.

Efforts to get comment on the issue from the Defence Headquarters and Col. M.A. Abba, Commanding Officer, Nigeria Army 243 Reconnaissance Battalion, also known as 243 Recce Battalion, Ibereko, Badagry, failed.

AN officer, who preferred anonymity, said the Nigerian Army had gazette of all it landed property in the country.

He said that most protesters knew that they built their houses on military land.

He said that the Army had settled most of the landowners’ long time ago but because the land was not fenced, some people sold the land to other people.

“The Defence Headquarters sent some of it men to Badagry recently to use the gazette to check the boundaries and they returned to Abuja after doing their job.

“The Nigerian Army and the House of Representatives Committee on Land will soon visit Badagry to resolve the problem,” he said. (NAN)