Residents of Gowon estate in Alimosho area of Lagos State, have called on the Federal, Lagos state governments and the Inspector General of Police to rescue them from the hands of one Ishola Abiodun aka Ejigbadero said to have acquired the Federal Housing Authoritys (FHA) reserved areas
They have also appealed to the minister of works and housing to call to order some officials of the FHA conniving with the land grabbers in the area
Speaking in a chat with the media in Gowon estate, the spokesperson of the Community Development Association task force (Estate CDA North) Mr Cosmas Robort, accused Ejigbadero of converting all FHA reserved areas popularly called Kuwait meant for recreational activities and future development in connivance with some FHA officials.
According to Mr.Robort, the man claimed that the estate land belonged to his father and gave out portions of land to people for all sorts of trade activities, including block industry, car wash and mechanic workshops
The latest development by the land grabber Mr Robort disclosed, was the demolition of estate fence begining from the Moshalasi end to Ponle bus stop and Egbeda market while shops were being erected on the stretch of the broken fence
The community decried the high rate of crimes, insecurity, describing the area as abode of criminals and drug dealers since he grabbed the all reserved areas in Gowon Estate.
According to the community spokesperson, the construction of shops by the fence of Public schools in the estate has led to infiltration of illicit drug dealers in the community
They disclosed that their visit to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2 and others did not yield any result and plead with the government to intervene as the man has held everybody ransom in the area.
“The whole of Gowon Estate is porous, recently he has broken all the perimeter fence, selling the land to individuals.
The porous nature of the estate has led to the the free movement of Armed robbery, drugs dealers, kidnappers meeting and take off points, rampant secret cult activities . All caused by Ishola Abiodun Ejigbadero the chairman of Agbado Okeodo LCDA”
Mr Robort, warned that the youth in the estate does not want to take laws into their hands to chase out the land grabber but called on Ejigbadero to demolish all the erected illegal structures in the interest of peace.
He said the LCDA in Mosan Okunola was aware of the development. “Everybody is now living in fear, you can not come back from work in the evening time for the fear of being kidnapped, assassinated or phone being snatched”
“We are calling on the federal government to come to the aid of residents of Gowon Estate”
The community accused some officials of the FHA of backing Ejigbadero in the acquisition of government land in the estate.
According to them, as a result of the distortions of the FHA plans in the estate, all drainages have been blocked, leading to flooding and rendering all roads in deplorable conditions.
According to CDA, the officials of the FHA assigned to take charge of the estate from Festac town to Gowon estate have compromise leaving the Gowon estate in a terrible condition from selling and building on top of the under ground cables and drainage.
They said the areas marked for primary health center and primary school have been sold by Ejigbadero / FHA of Festac and Gowon estate.
“Now our children have to go to school many kilometers from their parents exposing them to danger while primary health care which the government has vowed and provided funds for can not be built because the land provided by the government for health care inside the estate have been sold by Ejigbadero in connivance with staffers of FHA Festac and Gowon estate.
“That a visit to the AIG zone two is still pending as those assumed to be our landlords have compromised and make the case not relevant even though it was supposed to be charge to court”
“It is worthy of note that Gowon estate is a federal government housing estate and its inhabitants comprising of the (1) The Nigeria police force (2) The Nigeria Navy (3) The DSS (4) The Nigeria customs (5) The Nigeria Airways (6) The News Agency of Nigeria and other federal government departments, private sectors”
