Senate asks Army to quit hectares of land in Lagos

The Senate on Friday, asked the Nigerian Army to vacate a large expanse of land currently occupied by its Signals Barracks in the Apapa area of Lagos State.

The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, which gave this marching order at its sitting in Abuja, ruled that the contentious 20.652 hectares of land rightly belonged to the Kazuma Shipping Company Limited, based in Lagos.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, gave the verdict based on the petition brought before him by the law firm of Messrs Muiz Banire & Associates.

A copy of the petition signed by Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN), and dated November 21, 2021, was made available to journalists by the Committee.

In the petition, Banire explained that the land was originally owned by the family of the late John Saint-Matthew Daniels, from whom the Kazuma Shipping Company Limited, bought it in 2002.

He alleged that the Nigerian Army encroached on it despite the fact that it was outside their barracks.

He said the owners of the land commenced series of litigations against the Nigerian Army and got favourable judgments at the High Court, Appeal Court and Supreme Court.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria explained that the Supreme Court while delivering judgment in Suit No SC/68/71, had declared that the land, which bordered the Nigerian Army Signal Barracks, Apapa, Lagos State, belonged to the children of the late John Saint-Matthew Daniels.

(New Telegraph)