Magodo dispute: Lagos to allocate lands at Shangisha to judgment creditors

The Lagos government says it has reached a settlement plan for Shangisha landlords, the judgement creditors who have laid claim to the land where the Magodo estate phase two is located.

The land has been subject to a tussle that reportedly dates back to the 1980s.

The supreme court is said to have ordered Lagos to give some landlords 549 plots of land as a “matter of first priority” after their properties were demolished at Shangisha.

On December 21, a team of officers escorted bulldozers to the estate but residents of the area protested the move, and the police withdrew from the estate after the state intervened.

On Tuesday, there was another protest at the estate following a renewed threat of demolition and police invasion.

Thereafter, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos governor, visited the area and promised an “amicable resolution” to the dispute.

In a statement, Gbenga Omotoso, Lagos commissioner for information and strategy, said the agreement was reached after a meeting the governor had with representatives of the police, Magodo Residents Association (MRA) and the Shangisha landlords at the government house on Wednesday.

“The surveyor-general of Lagos state, permanent secretary lands bureau and Hon. Commissioner for physical planning and urban development are to immediately identify available plots of land within the Shangisha village scheme,” Omotoso said.

“Upon identification of available and accessible land, the state government is to immediately allocate the land to the 549 judgment creditors.

“In the event that there is no available and accessible land within the Shangisha village scheme to allocate to all the 549 judgment creditors, the state government, in agreement with the judgment creditors, will provide alternative plots of land.

“Whilst this exercise is ongoing, the Nigeria police are to restrain themselves from any conduct or action that may instigate violence or breakdown of law and order in Magodo.

“They should be keepers of peace and act within the confines of the law – always. All the parties have agreed to an amicable resolution of the matter.”

The Magodo Residents Association (MRA), in a statement issued after the meeting with the governor, also asked its members to remain calm as the issue had been resolved.

“Dear Residents, with the invitation of the Lagos state Governor,  Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday scheduled for today in respect to the invasion and siege by Chief Adeyiga and others and the Nigeria Policemen from Abuja, we are glad to inform all residents and good people of Magodo GRA phase II that the meeting was a very successful and favourable one to us all and the parties involved,” the statement reads.

“In attendance from MRA was Chairman of MRA and his team, some members of the intervention committee of MRA and the BOT Chairman.

“Mr Governor listened and was able to pronounce a favourable settlement plan for the judgement creditors (Adeyiga and others ). This covers the state government offering them landed properties and he formed a committee headed by the AG of Lagos state and some key members of his cabinet who will start work immediately by this Friday to identify landed properties to the judgement creditors in locations that will be advised within the state.

“Once all formalities are done, the invasion into our estate will come to an end and no property in Magodo phase II will be disturbed.”

The association also thanked the governor for his intervention, and other stakeholders for their efforts.

See photos of the meeting below.