Why we demolished houses, illegal structures in Sagamu – Ogun govt

Ogun State Government on Friday explained why it demolished buildings at the Ajegunle-Araromi community in Sagamu Local Government Area on Thursday.

The government said the demolition exercise was mainly to remove illegal structures on acquired land.

Newspot reported Thursday, that government officials invaded the Ajegunle-Araromi community with bulldozers to pull down structures, amid protest by owners, who said they had secured a court order restraining the government from demolishing their houses.

But in a statement on Friday, the Director General of the Bureau of Lands and Survey in Ogun, Arc. Segun Fowora, dismissed the protest, calling the residents “illegal occupants”.

Fowora disclosed that the 2-kilometre corridor had been acquired by the government since 1998 along the Lagos-Ibadan highway, with necessary compensations duly paid to the original owners.

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According to him, the land was set aside for industrial purposes by the previous administration, stressing that the government started serving contravention notices on the property owners in 2021 when people started encroaching on the land.

“At the time, the structures were few and all at foundation levels. The clearing exercise began after the expiration of several contravention notices which were ignored by the affected squatters,” he said.

The Director General averred that development along the axis must conform with planning regulations and “contravention of occupation and developments must face consequences of violating the laws of the state.”

He clarified that “all illegal occupations and developments on government land are always notified before the government takes appropriate actions against the illegal developments.”

Contrary to claims, he said the people of Ajegunle-Araromi were served several notices of contravention.

“However, unknown individuals in flagrant violation of extant laws started building on government land without any valid documents nor title from the state and without building permits from the appropriate government agency.

“This is an attempt to deprive investors of the right to peaceful and quiet enjoyment of land.

“As a responsive and responsible administration, if this is allowed to stand, it will portray the state as unserious in the committee of foreign investors,” Fowora noted.

He warned that more such actions would happen across the state, particularly against those who are bent on violating the provisions of the law.

“The members of the public should also note that the state is wary of actions that portray her in bad light.

“Members of the public are hereby advised to conduct necessary due diligence so as not to fall prey to dubious land speculators,” he stated.