Police Accused of Brutality and Connivance in Lagos State
Residents of Okomala Street and Fayemi Close in Ilasamaja area of Lagos State have accused the police of brutality and connivance with a company in the area to dispossess them of their lands. They alleged that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Oriyomi Titilayo, and operatives of the Lagos State task force on Environment had terrorised them despite a pending suit before an Ikeja High Court.
The residents, who said the police supervised the demolition of six buildings including those of Pastor John Onyekwere, Blessing Olasukanmi and Mrs. Rebecca Obamulire, in outright disregard to a court ruling that ordered status quo ante, added that landlords who protested the action were beaten and bundled into a Black Maria stationed.
Representatives of the family that sold lands to the landlords were also seen lamenting the injustice and illegal acts against the residents. According to Chief Adekunle Isiba, the family never sold any land to the company, accusing the police of aiding land grabbing.
He said: “This company claims that the military government in Lagos gave them these lands over 20 years ago. They have been lying and intimidating the people our family sold land to.
“We sold the lands to the landlords who built their structures on them. One of them has gotten his Certificate of Occupancy (C of O). The others have approvals from the Lagos State government. The landlords have their receipts, title documents, survey plan and other genuine documents.
One of the landlords, Blessing Olasukanmi, who said she bought her property two years ago, alleged that she was brutalised by policemen and sustained an arm injury. She said they had threatened to deal with her if she refused to sell or relinquish her rights to the land.
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