By Christopher Oji
A site engineer, Badmos Olatunji Monsor, was killed and at least 15 other workers injured as armed assailants suspected to be land grabbers raided a Lagos State government-allocated plot of land in Agidingbi, Ikeja, at the weekend.
Three construction workers were also declared missing after the attack.
Meanwhile, the police have arrested and detained four men who worked under the deceased site engineer.
The Lagos State Government allocated the land to WGC, represented by Alhaji Akeem Osuolale, in two separate letters from the state government, with the numbers LASG/LB S0000228005, dated 18th December, 2024, and LASG/LB S0000222499, dated October 13, 2023.
It was gathered that trouble started over the weekend when policemen from the Inspector -General Police Response Team (IRT), who were accompanied by “Alhaji Garba”, “Demola PA” and armed thugs invaded the site, and started shooting at random.
The invasion led to pandemonium, as the workers on site ran in different directions, with some of them being attacked with cutlasses, iron rods, charms and other weapons.
The invaders shot repeatedly in different directions, causing great fear among residents of the Lagos community.
Residents of nearby estates quickly reported to the police at Alausa but before they arrived the hoodlums had escaped.
Four of the workers on site were arrested and a gun, reportedly abandoned by the assailants, was recovered from the scene.
The company allotted the land, in a petition to the Inspector General of Police and the Lagos State Government, claimed that it was “the rightful owner, being the Lagos State government’s allottee of the pieces of land measuring 7,500sqm and 10,650sqm, along Lateef Jakande road, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos.”
A senior police source at Area F, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the death of the site engineer and added that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, had interrogated the arrested construction workers and others and that investigation was still ongoing.
In the meantime, the Lagos State Government has directed the police to ensure proper investigation into the circumstances surrounding the murder.