Peter Uzoho
Former Chairman of AMCON, Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN), has condemned a situation where trespassers build on other people’s lands without any authentic survey plan or building approval while Lagos State government officials saddled with the responsibility of stopping such anomally look the other way.
He said the development is not only absurd but deeply worrisome and the height of double standard.
He expressed the concern against the backdrop of the alarm raised by Homeowners and land allottees in Alma Beach Estate, Lekki, Lagos, over ongoing construction of several buildings without government permit by suspected land grabbers terrorising their community with hired policemen and thugs.
The concerned homeowners and allottees had called for urgent intervention of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to stop the illegal activities of trespassers who they accused of distorting the estate masterplan with their indiscriminate building construction activities under the cover of darkness and police protection.
In a letter to the Lagos State Building Control Agency signed by Dr. Olumide Famuyiwa, the affected landowners alerted the regulatory body to the threat such development posed to residents and safety within the estate.
“We write to request the urgent intervention of your good office for stoppage of all ongoing illegal building construction works at Alma Beach Estate.
“These construction activities being undertaken without LASG building permit have great potential to deface the entire neighborhood and distort the Alma Beach Estate Master Plan (copy attached), which is lodged at the office of the Surveyor General of Lagos State.”
Reacting to the development, Banire, said what the alleged land grabbers were doing could only happen where state officials have been induced and compromised.
“Otherwise it will amount to double standard in Lagos when some people can build without necessary approvals while such infractions by majority of the citizenry are heavily penalised.
“I want to believe Governor Sanwo-Olu has not been properly briefed on the kind of lawlessness going on in Alma Beach estate, otherwise those sabotaging due process and making a mess of his administration should be facing the music by now. How can legal allottees with registered government titles and approved building plans through which the state had earned revenues be prevented from accessing their properties while land grabbers who have no legal titles or any government approval be having a field day?” the senior lawyer queried.
The petition by the homeowners read in part: “Several bonafide plot allottees in Alma Beach Estate that are desirous to commence the development of their plots have expressed great concern about these illegal activities which could adversely impact the value of their properties and are demanding that we take steps to put an end to it.
“These bonafide assignees and lessees have duly registered their several interests with the Lagos State Government and obtained Lagos State Governors consent; and have also obtained or processing the requisite Lagos State Government building construction permits for their respective plots.
