Firm Petitions Sanwo-Olu, IGP Over Demolition of Property, Threat to Life

Wale Igbintade

The management of Jesenem Iron & Steel Ltd, has petitioned the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over alleged unlawful demolition of its property, intimidation, threat to life by officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources.

The firm had in a petition signed by it’s lawyer, Mr. Audu Augustine, urged the governor to carry out full scale investigation into allegations of threat to life and abuse of power after the demolition of its property located along Lagos–Ikorodu Road, Majidun area of the state by officials from State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources.

A similar petition was also sent to the Inspector General of Police, Egbetokun.
The petition was tagged, ‘Complaint against wanton destruction and vandalisation of property, intimidation, harassment, assault and threat to life by officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources particularly Mr. Durojaye, Mrs. Bakare and Mr. James of Waterfront, an appeal to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice’.

In the petition dated July 30, 2024, the firm alleged that on July 29, 2024, officials from the Ministry of Environment invaded its property with soldiers armed with various weapons and destroyed about 4,000 moulded blocks, opened over 30 bags of cement left on site and poured water on them to ensure that the bags cement are wasted.

The petition further stated that officials later returned to the site on Wednesday, July 31, 2024 and further destroyed over 4,500 blocks, opened additional 70 bags of cement and poured water on them and allowed them to congeal.

According to the petitioner, a total of 8,000 blocks and 800 bags of cement were destroyed.
Besides, the officials allegedly destroyed kiosks, and carted away working materials and arrested over 12 persons working on the site.
The firm stated that it acquired the land from various individual owners and the Majidun Community after the necessary land investigation from the appropriate ministry was carried out.

According to the petitioner, the acquired area is under government excision and there is existing governor’s consent on part of the land, while the remaining portion of the land is under processing at the Ministry of Land, Lagos State.

The firm added that the area is not standing on any drainage, carnal nor anything likely to affect the environment whatsoever.

The firm further maintained that the land had been sand-filled for the purposes of moulding its blocks for the intended project, adding that no physical work of any kind had commenced on the land to warrant any interruption, threat, intimidation and harassment.

The petitioner alleged that “On the 29th July, 2024, Lagos officials and others invaded the land with soldiers and weapons of all kinds and started destroying about 4,000 blocks moulded on the site.

“More worrisome is the barbaric act of tearing open 30 bags of cement at the site and pouring water to ensure that the cement cake and wasted.

“No responsible government at any level will indulge these barbaric and gangsteric operations. Government does not operate in this manner, it is simply acts of malicious damage to property which is clearly criminal in nature and should not be condoned by any meaningful Government, especially the Lagos State Government which is adjudged peoples’ friendly and investors delight.

“The damages caused our client runs into millions of naira, assuming without conceding that our client breach any rules or regulation, the destruction does not justify any enforcement purported to have been carried out so far. Apart from the destruction, they also assaulted, vandalised and looted every valuable item including stealing money from the site over N250, 000 (two hundred and fifty thousand Naira) meant to pay the workers at the site and took away some workers all in the name of enforcement.

“The primary duties of the police as contained in Section 4 of the Police Act is the protection of life and property. There is no doubt that our client’s properties have been maliciously damaged, looted and vandalised by the captioned defendants/suspects contrary to the role of any responsible Government.  

“We urgently urge you to use your good offices in the interest of justice to conduct a detailed investigation into the matter aimed at bringing the culprits’ to book to forestall future occurrence.

“We sincerely appreciate your understanding and cooperation on the matter and look forward to your prompt action.”