My attention has been drawn to a recent publication going on, on
the social media titled “How popular Lagos Lawyer, ABIMBOLA
BADIA JACK is THREATENING THE PEACE of Gateway Zone,
Magodo Phase I Residents”.
My name was mentioned as the person that sponsored an alleged
attack on the Exco /Residents of the Said estate.
I wish to categorically state that the publication can only be a
figment of their imagination. The content was untrue and totally
false rather, they are the ones threatening and preventing me and
Ojoko family access to the Ojoko Family Land which I manage , on
behalf of the family.
On Monday , 26th of September 2022, based on the petition the
Ojoko family wrote to the office of the Commissioner of Police ,
Lagos State, on the recent attack from Executives of Gateway and
their guards locking the access gate into the family land, by the
Executive members of Gateway Zone, the Police Commissioner
directed his men to visit the site and carryout investigation on
issues raised in our petition. I received a call to meet the policemen
at the Gateway Zone entrance gate. On getting there, I was
prevented from accessing the gate by their security men in the
presence of the men of the police force sent from the state police
headquarters. Infact, one of the security men said that the
management of the Gateway Zone has given them my name with an
outright instruction not to grant me entry through the gate and that
they are stationed at the entrance gate to enforce that instruction.
The policemen from the police headquarters tried to prevail on
them but failed , until a call came from their superior at the force
headquarters instructing the gateway zone security men to grant
me access. The same tactics was used when the former vice
chairman of the Estate , Mr Ojomo unlawfully trespassed on the
family land without consent of the principal family members. So the
question now is who is threatening who?
On Tuesday , 27th of September, 2022 a client who wanted to visit
the land called me that he was at the Gateway Zone and would like
to visit the site, I met him there and the same treatment occurred.
The security men refused to grant access to us again. I had to ask
the client to let us leave the scene , since I was running late for
another appointment . That I would do the needful by ensuring that
the law takes its course . I intend to take the matter to the right
authority in the land to find out if my inalienable right to freedom of
movement as guaranteed under chapter iv of the Nigerian
Constitution 1999 (as amended) can be taken away from me by the
Executive members of the Gateway Zone Magodo.
In the said publication , they referred to the family and myself as
land grabbers? Can I be a land grabber on my own portion of the
land or is it right for the original family that owns the entire land to
be referred to as land grabbers on their own land.?
On several occasions the former chairman of the CDA, Mr. Ojomo
and his cohorts have been reprimanded to stop dealing with the
family land unlawfully. Such act includes coming into the family land unlawfully. Such act includes coming into the Ojoko family land to erect fence and gates without prior consent of the
land owners. The last time, he was almost being charged to court
by the Police Officers at Area Command, Ogudu, but I had to rescue
him out since we are neighbors, I opted for peace and they were
warned seriously to desist from their illegal act. But rather they
continued. In the same year, the so- called Estate Chairman left the
Government scheme where he built his house and came to erect a
gate in middle of the family land all in an effort to prevent
development on the family side of the community.
It took the intervention of the Lagos State Ministry of Physical
Planning to pull down his illegal structure .
Some of the landlords bought their land from the Ojoko Family.
Even the past Vice Chairman of CDA Gateway Zone.
For the records, Ojoko land is covered by court judgment ,Lagos
State excision gazzeted by the state government and has certificate
of occupancy. None of these affect the residents or executive
members of Gateway Zone. So, the question of land grabbing does
not arise, except if they intend to do so.
From our findings, we do know that some of the Gateway Zone Exco
members have personal interest in the family land. Some are
representing the interest of external powerful forces. The family
wrote petition to the land committee of the respected Lagos State
House of Assembly and they intervened in this very matter . Hon.
Kasunmu led the investigation panel then, the moment the House condemned the Excos of Gateway zone for locking the family out of
their land, they immediately started using the social media to
allege bribery and all sorts of blackmail against the Honourable
members of the house that came to investigate .
I must also state here that If we had granted the request of the
former chairman of Gateway Zone , Mr. Ojomo, who requested for
millions of naira (allegedly on behalf of the Gateway Zone), from
the family representative, I would have been in their good book . but
we refused to grant their request because it was on the high side
and not justifiable. We have records of payments made by those
that bought land from the family i.e payment of Development levies
and Estate dues to the tune of N750,000 per plot to the Gateway
Zone Gateway Estate.
It is unlawful for anyone to deprieve citizens the right of ingress and
egress into any community.
If the people of Isheri and Otedola Estate had closed their Access
gates to the people of Gateway Zone, perhaps, they will not be in a
position to develop their land talkless of residing there today.
Let me say here that in the course of development, nobody can
close his or her Estate gate to further gates , claiming that he does
not envisage development beyond his estate.
So nobody or estate, no matter how powerful can decide to deny
some people access to their property located beyond their estate. In
2012, the Lagos State House of Assembly approved a bill making it mandatory that all Access or Estate Gates must be opened to people
between the hours of 5:00am and 12:00am. No gate must be locked
permanently against people or any person.
Lastly, I want to say that there was never a time that I went with
thugs or policemen to threaten the residents, it was a fabrication of
lies from them. I had taken there matter to all police formations in
the land, including the Federal Police headquarters in Abuja, I have
written to the land grabbers committee at Alausa Secretariat, sent
petition to the Lagos State House of Assembly, and I will continue
to explore legal means as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme
Court of Nigeria and a Senior Member of the Bar, no matter the
level of provocation, believing that justice will prevail at the end of it
all.
Thank you.
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