Aminat Yahaya —
The Lagos State House of Assembly has summoned a cabinet member of the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu , a Managing Director of one of the state’s entities, aides and some landowners over allegations of planned demolition of houses in Jakande Estate, Eti-Osa.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two aides are the Commissioner for Housing, Mr Moruf Akinderu-Fatai and the Managing Director, Lagos Building Investments Company (LBIC) Mr Oluwatobi Lawal.
The house made this known last Tuesday, sequel to a matter raised under “Matters of Urgent Public Importance” by Mr Noheem Adams, Deputy Majority Leader of the assembly.
Adams told his colleagues that the residents, whose ages ranged from 70 to 80, stormed his house in the early hours of Tuesday, pleading that the state government should be stopped from demolishing their houses.
“It will be recalled that the majority of the residents lived in Maroko before their houses were demolished in the 1990s and they were relocated to the Jakande Estate in Eti-Osa local government area of Lagos state”, he said.
Adams. said the residents had lived peacefully until recently when the alleged demolition threats of their buildings began.
The lawmaker said the residents had written a petition to the house while their grievance was already being addressed by the House Committee on Public Petitions, chaired by Mr Victor Akande.
“On Sept. 23, some members of the house led by Akande visited the Jakande estate with some officials from the LBIC, who had promised that they will not demolish buildings in the area.
“However on Oct. 12, officials of the LBIC went to the estate to mark houses for demolition,” he said.
In his contribution, Mr Rotimi Olowo said the situation with the residents was pathetic.
Olowo said the parties were supposed to reach a mutual understanding because the owners of the estate had invested heavily in the place.
He was supported by his colleague, Mr Adewale Temitope, who called for an amicable resolution of the issue.
