Job Osazuwa
Residents of Igbo-llogbo community, Ayobo in Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, have drawn a battle line with Abiola’s children over land ownership.
Briefing newsmen at the weekend, the residents of the community admitted to have acquired the land from Radio Communications Nigeria (RCN) Limited, a company owned by the late MKO Abiola, but argued that the property does not form part of the Abiola’s estate.
They maintained that the land belongs to RCN, which is a legal entity with full authority over it.
On the contrary, Abiola’s children have said that the occupants bought the land from the wrong persons, who capitalised on their father’s death to claim his property.
When the reporter contacted the lawyer representing Abiola’s children, Olufemi Falana of Olufemi I. Falana and Co on telephone, he said the residents who ought to be remorseful having realised their mistake, were busy spreading wrong information to the public.
He said it was unfortunate that some persons heartlessly went behind the Abiola family, swooped on the land and started selling it with total disregard to the consequences thereafter.
While the occupants are crying wolf to all authorities concerned, especially the police, to rescue them from the hands of their alleged attackers, Abiola’s children have vowed not to fold their arms and watch outsiders claim their family’s property.
Daily Sun gathered that residents woke up on March 14 to see hoodlums numbering over 100, who allegedly stormed the area in a commando style, brandishing deadly weapons to harass the residents. Residents said the peace of the community was stolen and replaced with anxiety while the siege lasted.
Over 1000 houses and 3000 households are said to be directly and indirectly affected by the controversy.
According to residents, there have been pockets of threats and rumours flying around that some persons were about to forcefully take possession of the area, which they didn’t take too serious.
“When the thugs came that very Thursday, it was like a war. Virtually all of them were fierce-looking and probably high on some self-enhancing substances. There were also policemen around. All our efforts to calm them down were rebuffed.