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Security operation, involving the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Ogun State Security Network Agency (So-Safe Corps) yesterday carried out enforcement of the Ogun State High Court on the disputed Ijeun-Lukosi land in Abeokuta.
The security agencies said the enforcement operation was sequel to a subsisting judgment of the High Court of Ogun State
The operation, which was conducted under tight security, was aimed at maintaining public order and preventing any breakdown of peace on the land, which had been the subject of prolonged litigation.
Court documents made available to journalists revealed that the High Court of Ogun State entered judgment in Suit No. AB/442/2016 in favour of the Ijeun-Lukosi community on April 17, 2017, by Justice Olanrewaju Mabekoje.
Following this, an order for possession and a warrant of possession were subsequently issued and executed by the Sheriff of the Court in March 2018. Subsequently, possession was formally delivered to the judgment creditors, the Ijeun- Lukosi community.
Officials involved in the exercise stated that the security agencies were deployed to identify persons in unauthorised occupation of the property and to ensure compliance with the subsisting court judgment.
One of the counsels, who handled the matter in court, Mr. Wale Liady, said the community had got judgment since 2017 and possession was delivered to the judgment creditors.
According to him, some unknown people later entered into the land unlawfully and started alienating same.
“This prompted the Ijeun-Lukosi community to approach the security agencies to execute the judgment.
“The exercise was also intended to forestall possible confrontation among rival claimants and preserve law and order within the community,” Liady said.
At the site, notices indicating that possession had earlier been delivered pursuant to the court judgment were affixed on strategic locations within the property.
Security personnel were visibly seen on ground throughout the exercise to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
Liady maintained that the operation was not a fresh execution of judgment but a peacekeeping and compliance measures in respect of court processes that had already been executed.
He further affirmed that there was presently no order staying the execution carried out in 2018.
It was gathered that an appeal arising from subsequent proceedings remains pending before the Court of Appeal.
It was, however, argued that the mere filing of an appeal did not automatically suspend the effect of a subsisting judgment unless a competent court granted a stay of execution.
Residents of the area described the heavy security presence as unusual but largely peaceful.
Some people in the community expressed hope that the protracted dispute would eventually be resolved through the judicial process without further tension.
As of the time of filing this report, officials of the police, the NSCDC and So-Safe Corps had not issued a formal statement on the operation, but sources confirmed that the agencies acted within the framework of law with the sole aim of maintaining public peace.
The development marks a fresh chapter in the long-running Ijeun-Lukosi land dispute, which has remained before the courts for several years.
