The Ogun State Government has provided an explanation for its decision to demolish buildings in the Ajegunle-Araromi community, located in the Sagamu Local Government Area. The government stated that the demolition exercise aimed to remove illegal structures on acquired land.
On Thursday, government officials used bulldozers to pull down structures in the Ajegunle-Araromi community, despite protests from the owners who claimed to have obtained a court order restraining the government from demolishing their houses.
However, the Director General of the Bureau of Lands and Survey in Ogun, Arc. Segun Fowora, dismissed the protests in a statement on Friday, referring to the residents as “illegal occupants.”
Fowora revealed that the government had acquired the 2-kilometer corridor along the Lagos-Ibadan highway since 1998, and the necessary compensations had been duly paid to the original owners. The land was initially earmarked for industrial purposes by the previous administration. Fowora emphasized that the government began serving contravention notices to property owners in 2021 when people started encroaching on the land.
He stated, “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.”
The Director General emphasized that development along the corridor must comply with planning regulations, and any contravention of occupation and developments will face legal consequences. He further explained 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 made by the affected residents, Fowora mentioned that the people of Ajegunle-Araromi were served several notices of contravention.
Fowora stated, “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.”
He added that allowing such actions to stand would project the state as unserious in the eyes of foreign investors. In conclusion, Fowora warned that more actions of this nature would take place across the state, particularly targeting those who violate 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 advised.
