The Illegal structures before the demolition

As part of efforts to enforce a judgement of a Federal High Court, Lagos, illegal structures erected in and around an expanse of land named ‘Abdul Salami Tijjani Estate’, located opposite Afoka Police Station, Shasha, Lagos, have been demolished.

The demolition of the illegal structures in and around the estate, which was carried out on Friday, it was gathered, was in compliance to the court order made by Justice Musa Kurya, who currently sits at the Jos division of the court.

Justice Kurya had sometimes in 2013 made the order while delivering judgment in a fundamental rights enforcement suit between Babatunde Ahmed and nine others against Inspector-General of Police and nine others in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/1665/2013.

Specifically, the judge, in the judgment which its execution order was made on July 27, 2016, had granted the seventh applicant in the suit, Alhaji Abdul Rauf Tijjani the possession of the said estate and many others: 117 Egbeda Road  Akowonjo; another property on Bola Quadiri Street; Oremeji Close, Egunjobi Area, Shasha and Bola Ahmed Tinubu Estate, all in Shasha.

The area after the demolition of the illegal structures

When our reporter visited the site during the weekend, some of the affected illegal occupants were picking the remnants of their demolished structures.

The illegal occupants however refused to speak over the demolition. But one of the who pleaded for anonymity said: “all of sudden, we saw some armed security agents with tractors demolished the shops and other structures around and in the estate.

“We gathered that a court in Lagos have granted one Alhaji Tijjani of the said property.

Speaking on the demolition, Mr. Tayo Aruna, a Personal Assistant to Alhaji Tijjani said “the demolition was carried out based on an order issued by Justice Musa Kurya. What we just did was to send the illegal occupants out of the place.

Tayo further stated that: “the shops and kiosks in and around the estate was built by a ‘land grabber’, who has no connection or link with the owner of the land, in the person of Alhaji Abdul Rauf Tijjani.

“I’m using this medium to inform the general public to desist from dealing with anyone who claimed to have power of attorney on the land, because the owner did not authorise anyone to act on his behalf.”