By Adesina Wahab

The Human Rights Monitoring Agenda, HURMA, has condemned the recent attack on an agent of the Lagos State Special Task Force on Land Grabbing, LSSTFLG, in Epe area of the state and called for urgent investigation and prosecution of culprits.

The was contained in a letter signed by the Executive Director of HURMA, Comrade Buna Olaitan Isiak titled: “Alleged Attack on Harmless Officer of LSSTFLG in Epe. Call for Urgent investigation and Action By Both Local and State Authorities.”

The letter was copied the Lagos State Ministry of Justice and some other agencies of government.

The letter read:  “We wish to hereby officially express our concerns to the growing insecurity in Otara area of the Igbooye Community, Eredo LCDA in Epe, Lagos State as  well as the threat to the peace of residents by some hoodlums alleged to be from Otto Family. We condemn in strong term the recent attack on a harmless dispatch staff of Lagos State Special Task Force on Land Grabbers (LSSTFLG), call for urgent investigation and necessary action to ensure justice and restoration of peace and security to the community.

“According to report sent to our Central Operational Office from our unit office in Epe, the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State in response to petitions written by Adesada Oganjugbe family and Onayemi family of Igbooye, acted through the office of Lagos State Special Taskforce on Land Grabbers by sending invitations for peace/ fact finding meeting to petitioners, the Heads of families of Adesada Oganjugbe and Onayemi and the respondents, Mr. Abdul Rasaq Rafiu, Mr. Jogunomi and Mr. Abiodun Adebayo, Chogon Property Ltd and Quickspace property & Investment, as well as to paste letters on properties on the disputed Otara Land in Igbooye, Eredo LCDA, Epe Division, Lagos State.

“The state dispatch staff, Mr. Oluwaseyi Fadare who was there on the morning of Wednesday, November 20, 2024 to paste letters tagged occupiers on the properties at Otara Land was molested, ridiculed, attacked and assaulted by some unknown boys allegedly stationed on the land.

“In the event, some of the letters to be served by the state staff were collected by these thugs who threatened to use everything they have including dangerous weapons and charms on the harmless state representative and some members of the petitioners who were there as pointers.

“Mr. Oluwaseyi Fadare from the office of Lagos State Special Task Force on Land Grabbers (LSSTFLG) later escaped from their hands and left the scene of the incident.

“It is important for the general community and authorities to rise and ensure an end to this implicating attitude before the general community begins to face the consequences .

“Moreso, urgent investigation and subsequent prosecution of these boys has become imperative in order to serve as a deterrent to others who might later want to also attack law enforcement officers/state workers in the course of performing their official duties.

“The office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State also recently expressed the readiness of the State Government to prosecute anyone found assaulting or attacking any government officials in the course of their lawful duties. We however believe that this would be demonstrated with urgency”.