The quest for Fashola’s administration to turn Lagos to a Mega city has caused quite a number of Lagosians more pain than joy. The government who has been on a demolition spree has spread its tentacles to Epe.
No fewer than 100 buildings located at Odoiragunshi community, Eredo Local Council Development Area, Epe, were yesterday demolished by the Lagos State Government on the grounds that the buildings were occupying government land.
The demolition was carried out by men of the Lagos Task Force and Special Offence Unit, accompanied by officials from the Ministry for Physical Planning and Urban Development (MPPUD).
The exercise left many residents in pain, watching helplessly as bulldozers pulled down their structures.
It was gathered that some of the affected residents, who rushed to the scene from their offices, fainted on seeing government’s bulldozers turn their homes to rubble.
Although, the affected residents claim they possess necessary government documents to prove their ownership of the land on which the buildings were erected, Chairman of the Task Force, Mr. Bayo Sulaimon, alleged that the buildings were constructed in an industrial area as reflected in the state master plan.
Sulaimon said government would not sacrifice the land for selfish interest of some individuals at the expense of the larger public.
“This place is meant for a project that will benefit Lagosians. How did they manage to acquire this land in the first place? Apart from that, they built without approval and government cannot allow individual interest to override public interest.
“Those who are building on government’s land, thinking that nothing will happen, should have a rethink. Government will rise up and take action one day. This is a message for land grabbers and unsuspecting buyers,” Sulaimon said.
He added that the government had visited the area more than four times to tell the residents about the new project.
“They (residents) quickly erected the structures, thinking that once they are erected, government would have a rethink.
People should seek information from government on any land before paying for or building on the land” he stressed.
One of the affected landlords, Mr Tajudeen Debo, said, “I obtained all my papers validly from the government. When they began threatening us we went to Alausa to have a meeting with them but we were told the permanent secretary of Land Bureau was not around, so they rescheduled the meeting for March 13, but today March 5, they are demolishing our houses.”