The dispute between the members of the Shangisha Landlords’ Association, Lagos State, who are the original landowners of Magodo Phase 11 Estate, and the state government, took a new turn on Friday as the state government called off indefinitely a scheduled meeting to discuss how to resolve issues relating to the execution of a Supreme Court judgment.
The court had ruled 549 plots of land illegally taken from the landlords be returned to them.
It would be recalled that members of the association had tried to enforce a judgment of the Supreme Court that mandated the Lagos State Government to give back 549 plots of land to the original owners.
Addressing newsmen on Friday, Deji Fasusi, lawyer to the association, said that the landlords and the state government officials met on several occasions to resolve the matter on the orders of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. He stated that the officials of the government told the landlords that over 400 plots of land had been earmarked for the landlords, who are the judgment creditors.
He disclosed that a meeting was fixed for Friday where issues like drainage, layout and others would be ironed out but was surprised the government cancelled the meeting indefinitely without any reasons.
Fasusi said, “At the meeting held on January 5, the governor expressed optimism that the issues would the resolved and that the 549 plots, which were the subject of the Supreme Court judgment, would be given to the judgment creditors. After that meeting, we have held several meetings with the attorney general and other officials of the state. We were told that they had seen over 400 plots of land and that the governor had instructed them to find the remaining plots and it was at that point the meeting was adjourned today (Friday) for us to come here and complete the process.”
He describes the cancelation of the meeting by the government as, “A shock, a surprise; we feel it is very dishonorable, disrespectful and distasteful.”
Also speaking, the chairman, Shangisha Landlords’ Association, Chief Adebayo Adeyiga, said the action of the state followed a pattern of disobeying court orders and thwarting rule of law.
