WORRIED by the recurring menace of land grabbers, popularly called Omo Onile, the Lagos State government, on Monday, inaugurated a five-man Special Task Force, including the Chief Security Officer to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
Inaugurating the special task force, state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, warned that henceforth, the state government would bring the full wrath of the law on anybody caught forcibly taking another person’s land.
The terms of reference of the committee, he said, included: to reduce to a barest minimum the activities of persons or corporate entities who use force and intimidation to dispossess or prevent any person or entity from acquiring legitimate interest and possession of property acquired through the state government or private transactions; to coordinate the efforts of the various agencies of government charged with enforcing the state government’s rights over land in Lagos and to work with all security agencies to ensure enforcement of state government and private property rights in Lagos State.
Kazeem explained that the state government decided to set up the task force in realisation that in recent years, the land grabbers had caused havoc and unrest in different parts of the state by dispossessing legitimate land owners of their properties and, thereby, stifling commercial activities in the state.
“It is, therefore, important that the state government not only identifies the effects of the problems being perpetrated by these unscrupulous elements on commercial activities and peace of the citizenry, but also find lasting solutions to the menace.” he said.
He stated further that the task force was also set up because of the need to protect investors and maintain law and order.
The task force includes a deputy director in the Ministry of Justice, Mr Akinjide Bakare, who will serve as alternate chairman in the absence of the Attorney General; representative of the Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Afolabi Abiodun; representatives of the Lands Bureau, Messrs Olayinka Adebayo and Faiq Abou.
