Moshood Adebayo
The Lagos State government has declared its intention to initiate legal action against the land judgment that ceded a vast portion of Agidingbi and its environs to the Akinole family to ensure that the matter is finally put to rest.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Justice yesterday, the government expressed shock to hear that the state allottees on government acquired land were, and are still being disturbed by the Akinole family, who never challenged the land acquisition by the state government.
According to the statement, “on the creation of the Lagos State in 1967, the first global acquisition of land was done in 1969 by the government (Notice No. 236) of the same year which was for 7,300 acres of land, including Agidingbi and environ.”
The statement added that the Akinole family “were not only aware of the 7,300 acres global land acquisition of the land by the Lagos State Government in 1969 but are parties in the originating summons subsequently taken out by the Lagos State Government in suit No. LTILS/35/89 to determine the persons entitled to compensation in respect of the 356.442 hectares of land acquired, including the land in Agidingbi village, under the compulsory public acquisition of 1969.”
The statement further expressed surprise that the state government was not made a party to the lawsuit by the Akinole family in a deliberate attempt to mislead the Court and get a judgment in its favour.
The statement, however, noted that in order to forestall any breach of the peace, which may lead to anarchy or any form of loss of live and property, the state police command has been directed to deploy its officers and men to the location.
The government, therefore, assured the populace that it would forestall any further step by the Akinole family or any other party to intimidate property owners in the affected areas pending final resolution of the matter.