Land grabbing is the illegal acquisition of property belonging to a lawful owner. The act of land grabbing is so prevalent in the southwest part of Nigeria, notably Lagos and Ogun State. This is particularly very rampant in the Ikorodu suburb, where the land grabbers a.k.a omoniles walk around with an air of arrogance and a belief that they are above the law. Their criminal activities include sale of same parcel of land to different persons, illegal occupation of landed properties, sale of properties belonging to another and forceful demand of money from property owners.

The Lagos and Ogun state government in a bid to curb the menace of these land grabbers, passed a law in 2016, which criminalized the dispossession of legitimate properties belonging to rightful owners .By the Lagos State Property Protection Law 2016 and its equivalent in Ogun state, such criminal acts on conviction, attracts 21 year jail term and 25 year jail term to a death sentence respectively.

In Lagos state, the Special Anti-Land Grabbers Task Force is empowered to enforce the law against offenders and just recently, it apprehended a suspected notorious land grabber in the Ikorodu suburb who was alleged to have been terrorizing residents and dispossessing them of their legitimate properties. A successful conviction by the task force in this case in question can serve as a deterrent to many other land grabbers still at large.

Although many Nigerians are skeptical of the implementation of this law in the face of many unimplemented laws in the country but that should not deter residents from reporting any act of land grabbing and where one is a victim in the case of Lagos State, by writing a petition addressed to the Chairman of the task force, detailing the land grabbing act, with particulars of the land grabbers. This should be accompanied by verifiable copies of titled documents evidencing ownership to such land. The task force, furnished with these documents and details, can carry out its investigation and ensure justice is done. By taking this step, residents can play their own role in aiding the apprehension of these criminals.

ipeg34yahooco:
Land grabbing is the illegal acquisition of property belonging to a lawful owner. The act of land grabbing is so prevalent in the southwest part of Nigeria, notably Lagos and Ogun State. This is particularly very rampant in the Ikorodu suburb, where the land grabbers a.k.a omoniles walk around with an air of arrogance and a belief that they are above the law. Their criminal activities include sale of same parcel of land to different persons, illegal occupation of landed properties, sale of properties belonging to another and forceful demand of money from property owners.

The Lagos and Ogun state government in a bid to curb the menace of these land grabbers, passed a law in 2016, which criminalized the dispossession of legitimate properties belonging to rightful owners .By the Lagos State Property Protection Law 2016 and its equivalent in Ogun state, such criminal acts on conviction, attracts 21 year jail term and 25 year jail term to a death sentence respectively.

In Lagos state, the Special Anti-Land Grabbers Task Force is empowered to enforce the law against offenders and just recently, it apprehended a suspected notorious land grabber in the Ikorodu suburb who was alleged to have been terrorizing residents and dispossessing them of their legitimate properties. A successful conviction by the task force in this case in question can serve as a deterrent to many other land grabbers still at large.

Although many Nigerians are skeptical of the implementation of this law in the face of many unimplemented laws in the country but that should not deter residents from reporting any act of land grabbing and where one is a victim in the case of Lagos State, by writing a petition addressed to the Chairman of the task force, detailing the land grabbing act, with particulars of the land grabbers. This should be accompanied by verifiable copies of titled documents evidencing ownership to such land. The task force, furnished with these documents and details, can carry out its investigation and ensure justice is done. By taking this step, residents can play their own role in aiding the apprehension of these criminals.

It was a shame that it took this long for the government in both Ogun and Lagos to come up with this law. Past administration indulged this primitive act.
I am still looking for scape goat enforcement in Ogun. We still have many of these criminals and their Sponsoring Baales in Ogun suburb area of Lagos e. g sango ota, itele, mowe, Ibafo, Pakuro magboro among others.