Stella Obasanjo, Diya, Useni others lose prime lands in Lagos
By Akinpelu Dada
Friday, 14 Oct 2011

The Lagos State Government has cancelled 562 prime land allocations to prominent citizens and organisations in the highbrow Lekki Peninsula Schemes I and II and Abijo Government Reservation Area for failing to pay the prescribed fees.


Some of the prominent Nigerians affected by the cancellation are one Stella J. Abebe (suspected to be the late wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo); former Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya; former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lt. Gen. Jerry Useni; former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the late Clement Akpamgbo; former Minister of Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin; and former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Abiodun Ogunleye, and his wife.


Other prominent names on the list, which was released on Wednesday, are the current Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah; former Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mr. Fulani Kwajafa; former Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Mrs. Titi Oseni; former Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Chief Joseph Sanusi; Prof. A.B.C Nwosu; and former Director-General, Nigerian Television Authority, Mr. Vincent Maduka; and renowned industrialist, B.O. Alex Duduyemi.


Others are Mr. Aina Tugbogbo; Mr. Matthew Jolayemi; Brig. Gen. Lawrence Onoja; Chief Fatai Idowu Arobieke; Mrs. Olayinka Abiola (suspected to be wife of the late Chief Moshood Abiola); Capt. A. A. Madueke; Maj. Gen. S. L. Yusuff; Alhaji Ahmed Onibudo; and Mrs. Teresa Omawunmi Ikimi; among others.


A curious name, Boss of Bosses, appeared on the list, but not even state officials could explain who the face behind the name was.


At the corporate level, a firm suspected to belong to Maryam, the late wife of the former military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, El-Amin Nigeria Limited; Sunny Ade Organisation; defunct Republic Bank; Sea Petroleum & Gas Company Limited; Lady Mechanic Initiative; Nigeria Arab Construction, Allah-Deh Investment Limited; Merchant Bank of Africa Nigeria Limited; Peak Merchant Bank; First Interstate Bank Limited and Abacus Finance Limited, were also listed.


The Nigerian Bar Association and some religious bodies like the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria and Rhema Christian Church & Tower were also affected.


Some prominent arms of government and agencies of government like the Rivers State Government; Raw Materials Research and Development Council; and the Lagos Building Investment Company, also forfeited their land allocations to the state government.


In justifying its action, the government said the allottees had repeatedly and continuously ignored its notices for them to pay up.


It said, “Further to our publications of December 22, 2004; October 31, 2005; April 26, 2006; August 20, 2007; June 16, 2008; and August 8, 2011, in respect of the allottees of Lekki Peninsula Scheme I, Scheme II and Abijo GRA Scheme requesting payment of outstanding charges on state land and continuous default in payment of the same, we wish to inform the general public, especially the under listed allottees of the immediate withdrawal and cancellation of the listed allocations corresponding with their names.”


It directed the affected individuals and corporate organisations to stay away from the plots of land and desist from further actions that might appear to run foul of the withdrawal and cancellation of the allocations.


The withdrawal notice added, “All affected allottees are advised to apply for refund of funds already paid in respect of the withdrawn allocations. To hasten the process of refund, please attach with the original receipts of payment.”


The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Lands Bureau, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, told our correspondent that the government did not take into consideration the calibre of the people affected before cancelling the allocations because of the need to discourage speculation in land in the state.


He said the Certificates of Occupancy issued to the allottees clearly stated that they must pay the ground rent and develop the plots within two years of allocation, noting that the affected people had violated either or both of the provisions.


Muri-Okunola explained that most of the affected allottees had C-of-Os because majority of the allocations were done by military regimes after the introduction of capital contribution for the development of infrastructure in the schemes, which did not follow due process, noting that the possession of C-of-O was not an evidence that all due fees had been paid.


He said the government would allocate the affected plots to individuals and corporate organisations that were ready to make full payment and develop within two years.

http://punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201110140454339

haha, see redistribution of wealth. who will benefit from the land grab now?