Ten Years After, Court Orders Lagos State Government, Police to return land to Badagry Communities Evictees

Ten years after, relief came the way of the evictees of some communities in the Badagry area of Lagos, as a Lagos High Court sitting in Badagry, has ordered the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police to return their land wrongfully acquired from them.

The affected communities - Atiporomeh, Araromi Ale and Mowo Phase II, woke up to the gory sight of over two hundred and fifty fully armed police officers with heavy duty evacuating machines on their communities, forcing them to scamper for their lives, without any opportunity to evacuate their household items.

The affected residents have argued that, a letter from the Police authority specifically mentioned Agemowo and Agelado Mowo, Badagry, and not their own communities

They also alleged that, they were not allowed to pick anything from their houses before the demolition, while scores of residents and youths were indiscriminately arrested.

For these reasons, the affected residents of the communities dragged the Lagos State Government and the Police to court, to challenge them over their forcible eviction and the demolition of their properties.

The Police had claimed that, the land was legally acquired by the Lagos State Government for general public use.

Delivering judgement in the case last week, Justice Serifat Sonaike faulted the entire exercise, and ordered that the evictees be returned to their land.

Justice Sonaike held that, the demolition of the houses in the Araromi Ale and Atiporome Communities by the Police and the Lagos State Government, was unlawful and against the Constitution of Nigeria.

The Judge said the evidence available, showed that the Lagos State Government had wrongfully acquired the land initially occupied by the Claimants, and also sold it to the Police.

She described the act as wrong, and to all intent and purposes, amounting to a situation of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Justice Sonaike found the demolition exercise to be illegal, and not in compliance with the existing laws of the country.

According to the Judge, without prejudice to Government’s right to acquire properties, “I find that, the acquisition cannot be said to be for an overriding public purpose.

“It is not for public purpose, as it is restrictive acquisition. The Lagos State Government actually sold the land to the Nigeria Police, which to all intent, amounts to robbing Peter to pay Paul.

The Judge, therefore, ordered the Lagos State Government and the Police, to return the 12.13 hectares of land, to the displaced residents.