Lagosians lament brutality of land grabbers

Lagosians lament brutality of land grabbers

Human Rights Activists, under the platform of Human Rights Action Watch, have urged governments and security agents to rise in defence of innocent citizens being oppressed by land grabbers across Lagos State.

The activists said that the threats to life and public peace by land grabbers in Ibeju-Lekki, Epe division of Lagos, had become unbearable.

Speaking at a news conference in Lagos, President of the group, Tunji Balogun, alleged that a notorious land grabber, aka Ibile (real name withheld), had continued to wreak havoc in the area brazenly.

Balogun said that not only did the property owners suffer and were still counting losses, but artisans and others working in some sites also had many pathetic stories to tell of the havoc of this land grabber and his violent gangs.

According to him, the land grabber has continued to act unlawfully above the law of the land under protection by some security agencies to the detriment of the voiceless people.

He called on the federal and state governments, and the security agencies to conduct full criminal investigation on the land grabber and all state actors conniving with them.

Balogun said that the notorious activities of these people on Sunday led to the burning down of property belonging to one Esther Otsabomhe, while her workers were also whisked away.

He said recently, a middle-aged bricklayer, Sodiq Kolapo, was shot dead by the land grabbers and that the wife of the deceased artisan was still in sorrow with three children.

The human rights leader said that if not managed swiftly, the atrocities of land grabbers could snowball into acts similar to terrorism in the near future.