Firm Petitions Lagos AG over Alleged Land Encroachment

Sunday Ehigiator

Claptons Associates Limited has petitioned the Attorney General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), to step into a land encroachment dispute between the firm and Ms. Ifeoma Okungwu of Winhome Global Services Limited.

In a petition made available to THISDAY and signed by a representative of the firm, Charles Oghor, the firm alleged that Okungwu encroached on their land located at Okun Ajah village in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state.

In the petition, which was also sent to the Coordinator of the Lagos State Special Task Force on Land Grabbers, Ogbor explained that the firm had bought a vast expanse of land measuring approximately 23.081,240 square metres, which was a part of Ajayi Agbationika family land at Okun Ajah village in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the State in 2010.

He accused Okungwu of always using unknown persons and security personnel to disturb “our workers and the peaceful possession and occupation of the said land on the false claim that she owns the land.”

He said all efforts aimed at making Okungwu have a meeting with the firm to resolve the ownership issues had failed, and thereby appealed to the AG to invite both parties in dispute, so that their claims could be verified.

“All efforts to make her see reason and meet with us (Clapton Associates Limited) to resolve the issue of ownership of the vast expanse of land has failed, rather she has resorted to sending thugs to chase away our workers from the land. She has vehemently refused to come to the table to justapose her title documents to ours.

“She has issued various threats to my humble self. I humbly ask that she should be invited to your esteemed office to verify her claims against ours,” part of the petition read.

Also accompanying the petition sighted by THISDAY was a letter signed by the Principal Partner of the law firm, Oghenevweta, Mr. Godswill Ojakovo, urging the Lagos AG to direct the Coordinator of the state Special Task Force on Land Grabbers to wade into the matter not only in the interest of his client but also that of the general public.

Another letter accompanying the petition signed by the solicitors of Claptons Associates urged the taskforce to assign seasoned officials to investigate Okengwu and determine whether her claim to the ownership of their client’s vast expanse of land has any merit whatsoever.

Every effort the reach Okengwu proved abortive as the lady who responded to her mobile number denied knowing anything about the matter.