Police arrest suspected land thief

Officers who connived with him are currently facing disciplinary action, says DIG 

Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Adeniji Adele has arrested a suspected land grabber, Alhaji Jubril Okelewu, whose alleged stock in trade is to divert and seize properties belonging to government along Lekki/ Ajah axis in Lagos state.

He was alleged to have sold several properties belonging to Lagos State government to unsuspecting buyers, who will be engaged in long legal battle to claim the property from the original owners and agency.

The bubble got burst when Alhaji, as he is popularly called, and his thugs were alleged to have attacked private security guards attached to Gannybol Nigeria Enterprise, who were guarding the company’s three hectares of land at Ibeju Lekki local government, acquired by the Lagos State Government.

The Guardian gathered that police authorities have commenced disciplinary action on all police officers, who connived with Alhaji to perpetrate the unlawful act of violence and malicious damage to property.

The police were said to have acted on a petition by the company, alleging that one Alhaji Jibril and some unknown hoodlums had engaged in an act of intimidation, harassment and violence to wrestle from them the land duly allocated to the company by the Lagos State government.

They alleged that the said Alhaji in company of arm wielding, fierce looking thugs had on several occasions disturbed personnel engaged by the company to commence development work on the land. “We have had cause to report the activities of Alhaji Jibrin and his group of marauders to the New Towns Development Agency (NTDA) through our letter dated July 9, 2015.

The NTDA by its letter, dated July 10, 2015, confirmed our status as a bona fide allottee of the land and directed the Lagos State Government Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit to assist in the clearance of illegal structures within the land.

Surprisingly, Alhaji Jibril, who does not have any title or right whatsoever to the land seemed to have enlisted the help of one Deputy Commissioner of Police and an Assistant Commissioner of Police both of the Force headquarters Annex, Alagbon, Lagos, in the perpetration of their unlawful act.

The two officers ordered the arrest of our personnel on the land and provided armed cover bandit to harass us constantly on the land,” the petition read in parts.

Explaining further, Alhaji Kamoru Bolarinwa, who spoke on behalf of the company commended the police for its quick intervention in the matter.