Community Sends SOS Sanwo-Olu, IGP over Attacks by Land Grabbers

Residents of Ilameja community in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State have called on Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to take urgent steps against alleged attacks by land grabbers on the community.

The residents, who made the call at a news conference on Saturday in Lagos, said the persistent attacks on the community had left them with sad tales.

A resident, Mr Tunji Balogun, said that constant attacks by land grabbers had brought pains and sorrow to many residents.

Balogun, also the Project Director of Social Justice and Human Rights Group, a non-governmental organisation, called on the state government and security agencies to act without delay, to protect lives in the community.

“We are calling on Gov. Sanwo-Olu and IGP Egbetokun and other security agencies to deliver us from these attacks by land grabbers.

“Government should swiftly intervene to halt these constant attacks on our people, willful destruction of properties, forceful encroachment by these land grabbers.

“We are law-abiding and responsible people, we do not want a situation where the matter will result in clashes in the community”, he said.

Balogun alleged that the land grabbers always attacked people working on building sites, saying many had been hospitalised owing to the injuries sustained.

“We have so many cases of injured victims and the case of late Sodiq Kolapo, an innocent bricklayer who was shot while working as a labourer on a building site. He was not only killed, his his body was taken away by the land grabbers.

“Other victims like Samusideen Oluwo and Sunday Olabayo, are still nursing injuries sustained during attacks on site.

“We want Gov. Sanwo-Olu to urgently come to our rescue before the situation becomes worse,” he said.

Mrs Joke Kolapo, the widow of the late bricklayer, said things had been difficult for her and the children since her husband was killed.