By Yinka Salaam, Ikorodu
Ikorodu(Lagos), Nov. 19, ’25 (TNZ) Residents of Agric-Owutu in Ikorodu have once again called on Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to save them from a man who is allegedly bent on grabbing their land.
TheNewsZenith reports that the residents alleged that the man (name withheld) has orchestrated the illegal demolition of their buildings.
Our correspondent gathered that the residents became restive on Monday when they noticed a truck with Lagos registration number plate EKY 209 YK carrying a cabin to the area.
They suspected that the alleged land grabber brought the truck. That move was in preparation for the purported ‘construction of a modern market’ in the area.
“The sudden appearance of a cabin-container-laden truck without any prior notice to the community raised a lot of concern,” one of the residents told TheNewsZenith.
Suspicious of foul play, the residents resisted the team, led by about 20 soldiers and a retired Major.
According to them, a man, who claimed to be the CSO to the contractor engaged by the Lagos Ministry of Agriculture and the Ikorodu West LCDA, led the team.
The truck with Lagos registration number plate EKY 209 YK carried a cabin to the area in preparation for the purported construction of the market.
One Digolo Golo said the Commissioner of Agriculture, Mrs Abisola Olusanya, engaged him to construct a market on the land.
Some landlords in the area had initially had their houses demolished by the alleged land grabber, in connivance with the commissioner.
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The man (name withheld), allegedly working in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture, had enlisted officials from the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABCA), KAI, and street hurchings Area Boys to demolish approximately 200 houses.
Our correspondent gathered that residential buildings, mosques and churches were bulldozed, allegedly without notice to building owners. The papetrators claimed that the buildings demolished were ‘distressed’.
TheNewsZenith recalls that Mrs Olusanya testified during the Lagos State House of Assembly investigation on the matter. She claimed to have unknowingly bought the land from the alleged land grabber.
The Commissioner submitted that the man deceived the ministry by claiming he won a court case. She added that he said the court had returned the ownership of the land to him.
According to her, the man (name withheld) claimed that the residents bought the land in the 70s from the Allison family, but that the land now belonged to his Osholonge family.
Meanwhile, the Army PRO of the 81 Division of the Nigeria Army in Lagos, Lt-Col M.A. Yahya, denied that the Army had authorised any of its men on escort duty for building demolition.
Yahya, however, denied that the Army had authorised any of its men on escort duty for building demolition. He said the soldiers “were unknown soldiers”.
After speaking with the PRO on the phone, the soldiers who escorted the truck hurriedly retreated and left the scene when it dawned on them that they were on illegal duty.
Consequently, the man, who identified himself as the CSO of the construction company, also left the scene. (TNZ)
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