The house of representatives has resolved to investigate
Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), and Usman Baba,
inspector-general of police (IGP), over their alleged involvement in the
invasion of Magodo estate phase two.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent
public importance sponsored by Ademorin Kuye and Rotimi Agunsoye, lawmakers
from Lagos state, during plenary session on Wednesday.
On December 21, police officers and some suspected thugs
besieged the estate and marked buildings for demolition, but residents
protested the invasion.
However, the siege continued and residents sought the
intervention of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos.
The governor visited the estate to address the residents,
and met police officers from Abuja who refused to vacate the estate even after
Sanwo-Olu asked them to leave.
After some back-and-forth, the police officers eventually left.
The police officers had said they were at the estate on the
orders of the IGP and Malami to enforce a supreme court judgment over the land.
According to the Lagos government, the case dates back to
the demolition of properties at Shangisha village between 1984 and 1985, after
which a supreme court verdict ordered the state to give the Shangisha landlords
549 plots of land as a “matter of first priority”.
The state had, however, said by the court verdict, the
Shangisha landlords cannot lay claim to land at the Magodo estate as the matter
only relates to “allocation” and not “possession”.
Leading the debate on the motion on Wednesday, Kuye, the
lead sponsor, commended the Lagos government for making efforts to resolve the
matter.
He, however, berated the IGP and the AGF for “getting
involved” in the matter and “sabotaging” a peaceful resolution.
“Several attempts have been made by the Lagos state
government from 2012 to 2015 to settle the matter amicably, making different
engagements, with the judgment creditors presenting a proposal for reallocation
in the Magotho Residential Scheme within the Badagry area of the state which
some of them accepted,” he said.
“The Lagos state government again in 2016 initiated a settlement
to reallocate Ibeju Lekki Coastal Scheme located in the Ibeju Lekki area, but
this was rejected by the lead plaintiff, chief Adebayo Adeyiga, as the
government continues to dialogue with the majority of the judgment creditors to
reach a consensus towards implementing the judgment.
“Despite the ongoing settlement efforts and the pendency of
an interlocutory injunction dated December 1, 2020, before the court of appeal
seeking an order restraining him and his agents, chief Adeyiga, purportedly
encouraged by the attorney-general of the federation and the inspector-general
of police, stormed the estate with unknown bailiffs and armed security
operatives to execute a judgment that was purportedly delivered by Lagos high
court.
“The execution being presently executed through the office
of the AGF with the connivance of the IGP is illegal, as only the Lagos state
deputy sheriff can execute same and not thugs aided by policemen.”
The motion was unanimously adopted after it was put to a
voice vote by Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house.
The house subsequently mandated its committees on justice,
public petition and police to investigate “the involvement of the
attorney-general of the federation and the inspector-general of police in the
attempt to destabilise the peace of Lagos state, scuttle the ongoing settlement
process and enforce illegality”.
It also asked the committees to “recommend appropriate
sanction for any officer found culpable in the illegal enforcement and breakdown
of law and order”.
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