The Chief Executive Officer of Twinlight Construction Company, Afolabi Abina has raised alarm on Thursday of losing over N50million properties following alleged demolition of his company situated opposite Mechanic village along Abeokuta-Owode expressway by Ogun State Government.
Penpushing reports that officials of Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development led by Tunde Olugbewesa, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor arrived the company premises in company of armed policemen at about 9.45am and ordered workers out before pulling down the structure with excavator.
The company boss while narrating the incident to journalists said officials of the Ministry in same vein ordered the helpless staff to remove all movable equipment out of the premises, while the demolition exercise lasted.
Penpushing further reports that Abina said he was caught unaware adding that his findings revealed that there was a plot by government to reallocate the 4195.180 Square meters land where the company is sited to an unnamed person.
The Chief Executive Officer said when he earlier got wind of the plan to forcefully eject him, his lawyer wrote a complaint letter to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Secretary to the State Government, but to his amazement the demolition team arrived the premises on Thursday and completely pull down the multi-million structure
Penpushing also reports that he said no notice was served before the authorities pull down the structure, adding that he bought the land from a family, and process of ratification was ongoing when government ordered the demolition.
The businessman explained that he acquired the land in 2014, where the company had been operating until a sudden harassment, and had equally met with the Surveyor General, who told him that the ratification paper was been processed
‘I bought the hectares of land from a family in 2014 and my company has since been operating there until recently when government came and claimed it was acquisition land, so we started process of ratification as required by the law’, he stated
‘This process was ongoing, until I learnt there was a plot to eject me and allocate the land to another person, so I instructed my lawyer to write a complaint letter to the authority which he did, but to my amazement the government brought excavator this morning without any prior notice and demolished my properties worth over N50million’
Penpushing reports that that a complaint letter written by Erumena Ichiefietano-Mark, a counsel to the property owner emphasized that encroachment is a violation, and called for prompt address to avoid any further complications as it is essential for both parties involved to stick to their boundaries
‘It has come to our client’s attention as the property owner at off Abeokuta/Sagamu road, Oke Paa village in the Abeokuta South local government area measuring about 4195.180 square meters, that there is likely encroachment matter that requires your immediate attention, hence, this plea and request for your noble intervention using your good office’, the lawyer wrote
‘Upon a recent development and priviledged information stumbled on by our client, it has been observed that our client’s property on the above stated location which he has been in possession of, has been and/or likely to be encroached on’
‘And marked for demolition on the event of a Certficate of Occupancy granted by the Ogun State Government to G.S Banquet International Company Limited registered as number 4 at page in Vol 1375 at the land’s registry office in Abeokuta, which appears to extend beyond boundaries and unto our client’s land’, the letter read
‘We want to state that encroachment is a violation of property rights and raises concerns regarding adherence to local land use regulations. We therefore request that you kindly address this matter promptly to avoid any further complications as it is essential for both parties involved to stick to their boundaries’, it added
‘We state that our client has been in possession of the same from the customary owners and position of the law still affirms that the government does not have any power under the law use act to take over parcels of land outside the purview of overriding public interest, which in this case is not’
‘We, therefore plead sir for your timely intervention using your good office to exempt our client’s property which is already currently in process for title documents at the Bureau of Lands, Abeokuta in file number OW/SL/R97. A copy of our client’s survey is also herein attached/ We await your timeous response while thanking you for your kind indulgence’, the lawyer emphasized
Penpushing further reports that when contacted Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tunji Odunlami confirmed the demolition exercise adding that this was after service of notice which was ignored by the company
‘Yes, the enforcement and compliance arm of the Ministry carried out demolition of illegal structures at Sidipon village opposite the Laderin mechanic village after due diligence of serving the required statutory notices. The demolition was carried out after the notices have long expired without any representation from the owners of the illegal structures. You may visit our office if you need further information. Thank’, he added
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