A violent clash was averted early Monday morning when land speculators in company of policemen and thugs invaded Kudeti street in Adeniyi Jones area of Ikeja, Lagos State, to forcefully eject residents of the area.
The thugs, who reportedly wielded dangerous weapons and equipped with painting materials, went from house to house, armed with a court order and forcing people out of their respective homes.
This was said to have happened in the full glare of armed policemen numbering about 30.
Eyewitnesses narrated that the angry residents and landlords trooped out in number to confront the invaders, alleging that they were flaunting fake court judgment with a view to forcefully dispossess their hard- earned properties from them.
One of the residents who identified himself as a customs officer said he had been living in the estate for over twenty years. He recalled that in 1986, the same people invaded the estate with same fake court judgement and embarked on massive destruction of properties including forcing residents out of their homes.
He also said, the then commissioner of Police, Young Arebamen who was alerted, swiftly took action and arrested some of them.
“We learned that when investigations to confirm the authenticity of their court order was conducted by the police, it was discovered to be fake. They were taken to court and jailed. We don’t know what happened to the policemen that accompanied them to carry out that illegal mission. But we were very happy with the police boss for coming to our aid.
Today, they are back again after the kingpins completed serving their prison terms with the same fake court order and in company of such a large number of policemen,” he narrated.
The thugs later left after they saw that the residents were poised for action and the quick intervention of some elders who pleaded for truce.
They, however, left after pasting court papers on the walls and gates of all the buildings there and defacing the walls with inscriptions claiming that they have taken ownership.
