Ten Landgrabbers have been arraigned by the Lagos State government before a Special Offences Court sitting in Oshodi over the alleged forceful takeover, trespass and Land grabbing.
The defendants are Amisi Friday, Holy Osaweme, Wale Adigun, Muhammad Amodu, Christopher James, Tope Ojo, Usman Abubakar, Jubril Isa, Yusuf Babamariam, and Sherifu Ibrahim.
They were arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, threat of violence, forceful entering of landed property and malicious damage, preferred against them by Lagos State Special Taskforce on Land grabbers.
They were said to have encroached on acres of land owned by Nichemtex LTD, a subsidiary of United Nigerian Textiles Public Limited Company, Plc between year 2019 to 2021 in Owode Ibeshe, Ikorodu, Lagos.
Prosecuting Counsel, with Lagos State Special Taskforce on Land Grabbers, Mrs Ruqayat Shomade, told the court that the defendants conspired amongst themselves to commit the alleged offence.
She said that the defendants committed the offence sometime between 2019 -2021, at Kilometer 2, Owode Ibeshe Road, Ikorodu, Lagos.
Shomade said that they were found to have resorted to threat of violence in recovery of possession of landed property belonging to Nichemtex LTD.
“They forcefully entered into the landed property and maliciously destroyed gate, wall, and fence structures belonging to Nichemtex LTD and engaged in acts inconsistent with the proprietary rights contrary to section (2) of Lagos State Properties Protection Law, 2016,” she said.
According to her the offences committed is punishable under Sections 411, section 3(1) (2), of Lagos State Properties Protection Law, 2016 and 350 of Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendants pleaded not guilty, while their Counsel applied to the court to grant them bail in liberal terms.
The Counsel argued that the offences for which their clients were charged are bailable and that they were ready to defend the case.
Shomade, did not oppose the bail application but urged the court to impose conditions that would ensure that the defendants would be available for trial.
In her ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Oluwatosin Fagbohun, granted the defendants bail, in the sum of N100, 000, with two sureties each in like sum.
Meanwhile, the Coordinator, Lagos State Special Taskforce on Land grabbers, Mr Owolabi Arole, said that the defendants were arrested following an investigation of a petition dated May, 5, 2020, by United Nigerian Textiles, Plc.
He noted that the office gave the parties involved the opportunities to state their version of event in order to determine the culpability of the respective parties.
In his words, “the Special Taskforce on Landgrabber had earlier visited the Land the subject matter of the petition and discovered that Nichemtex LTD had always been in possession and have fenced and carried on business on the land by constructing a factory, warehouse and residence for the staff. Residents within the area have always referred to the land as “Ogba Nichemtex” and there is a watermark painting of the company logo on the wall”.
“Having seen the submitted respective title documents of the parties and witnesses, the case was referred to the police for further investigation in which the defendants were found culpable of the offences charged”, He added.
Source: Vanguard
