By Albert Akpor

FOR close to three years now, some communities in Imota Local Council Development Authority, especially Igbokuta, in outskirt of Lagos have been in total disarray.This is due to the lingering crisis over ownership of vast hectares of land.

The attendant mayhem has since attracted the attention of both the state government under Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) and the Nigeria Police Force who moved in a combined detachment of soldiers and anti-riot policemen.

Reports say, the joint team stayed in the troubled areas for close to seven months in 2010 following which palpable peace returned. But soon after the law enforcement officers vacated the communities , the grabbers returned to their trade; attacking and inflicting injuries to perceived opposition, bringing down their buildings as well as outrightly chasing the residents out of the communities.

*Ayeni, father of the deceased

In the ensuing fracas, a 58 year-old retired soldier who identified himself as Aliu Ayeni said to be in the fore front of challenging the land grabbers had his church building reduced to rubles. His 27 year-old son, Azeez Ayeni was gunned down for attempting to confront some of the thugs working for the land grabbers. He died moments after in an undisclosed hospital.

But a seeming peace returned to the communities after the Police arrested one Layi Jimoh Nosiru who allegedly shot dead Azeez and shot another Ganiyu Oshinoye in the eyes.

He was paraded in handcuffs after his house was combed and the double barrell gun which he allegedly used in perpetrating the crime was recovered. The police went a step further by officially declaring wanted, through a Special Police Gazette Bulletin NO. CB 2685/FHQ/ABJ/09/05/11) one Kamarudeen Lamina (alias Sir k) for allegedly being the arrow head of the fracas in the communities.

He is reported to allegedly keep legions of thugs who perpetrated evil in the communities. Even the legal advice from the office of the Lagos state Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) dated March 2009 with reference No LJP/HOM/2008/57 indicted the same Layi Jimoh Nasiru; one of the hatchet men of the man declared wanted for the murder of Azeez Ayeni.

The legal advice reads in part: “This office has carefully considered the facts in the case file and is of the view that the facts available disclosed prima facie cases of murder and assault occasioning harm contrary to section 316 and 335 respectively of the criminal code law, laws of Lagos state 2003 against the suspect page B2 Nasiru Jimoh Olawyiwola.

•Azeez on hospital bed before he gave up the ghost

The facts revealed that the deceased died as a result of injuries from gunshot and that pages A11 and A12 also sustained injuries from gun shots. A careful look revealed that page B2 was the only person met at the scene with his double barrel gun.

The gun was recovered from him and it is listed on the exhibit page.” But fears soon returned to the land when Layi was granted bail almost immediately at the Zone 2 command headquarters Onikan, Lagos where the matter was investigated while the person declared wanted was seen freely moving around town and in most cases, with police escort.

•Ganiyu Oshinoye shot in the eye.

Meanwhile, fear-stricken and displaced residents are fervently praying for quick justice and of course, the restoration of peace to the communities even as perpetrators of the dastardly acts have resumed their nefarious activities.

The situation has now assumed a frightening dimension to the point that residents have begun fleeing their homes en masse for fear of either being maimed or killed by thugs working for the said notorious land grabbers who have other barons including a Deacon of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Ikorodu parish, (names withheld) working for him.

Aged men, women and under -aged children with varying degrees of injuries inflicted on them by thugs of various barons said to be working for the person who was declared wanted are currently taking refuge in some undisclosed locations in Lagos metropolis.

Some of the women who spoke in Yoruba language on condition of anonymity for fear of being attacked alleged that their farm lands have been taken over while their crops have been destroyed by the land grabbers even when there are court orders restraining them.

They claimed that they had to run for their dear lives when it became apparent that thugs to the land grabbers were bent on eliminating them. “We slept in the bush with our children for six days before escaping to the express road from where we got to town.

Some of us have not taken our bath for days now, our children have been denied access to their schools. These people have taken over our farmlands and destroyed our crops. We cannot go back to our ancestral homes because they will kill us.

The person the Police declared wanted for serial murder is seen about town even with some policemen. If we go to report at the Imota Division about their criminality, the DCO will order for our detention.We are confused and frustrated and believe that the DCO knows more than he tells us about the fracas.

This is why we want IGP Hafiz Ringim to come to our aid because his men are not carrying out his instructions. We want Governor Fashola to quickly come to our rescue because we want to go back to our ancestral homes,” they chorused.

Perhaps, more pathetic is the tale of a retired soldier turned pastor whose church was reduced to rubles and his 27 year-old son shot dead right beside him.

Narrating his tale of woes in tears, Mr. Sonaya Akipu Aliu Ayeni said, “Having retired from the Nigeria Army in June 1990, I worked with the Lagos state environmental enforcement agency and left in 1995 when I received the divine calling.

•The church destroyed by the hoodlums

Thereafter, I built a church in my ancestral land and started the work of God. But trouble started after some people stormed my church sometime in 2007 and attacked members of my church, Holy Michael Cherubim and Seraphin church; inflicted injuries on some members and pulled down the building on the premises saying that the land had been sold to some one else.

I had to take cover and ran for dear life. Days after, the same group led by a relation of mine, one Layi Nosiru came threatening again and said if I do not back off and leave the 9 acres of land which belong to my father, he would ensure that I do not live enough to inherit it.

While he was threatening, my first son of about 27 years of age came in and attempted to challenge him but he roared and said that if my son dare utter more words, he would be shot dead.

Thinking that he was merely joking, he ran backwards, drew out a double barrel gun and fired directly at my son. I held my son shouting for help that did not come. When the thugs finally left, I rushed him to a nearby hospital where he was confirmed dead.

The matter was reported to the Zone 2 command headquarters and Layi was arrested. His house was searched and the gun he used was recovered under his bed. But he was immediately released before the matter was charged to court.

Even as the matter is in court, the threat continued unabated. As I speak to you now, I don’t sleep in my house. Other members of the communities do not sleep in their houses. That is why we want the police to help us, we want Governor Fashola to help us, this is a state governed by a lawyer. He should not allow illegalities to thrive.”