The police in Lagos say they have charged three persons to court for forcefully taken over other people’s land, one month after the state anti-grabbing law came into effect.
SP Dolapo Badmos, the police spokesperson in the state, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the suspects were arrested in Ikeja area for violating the state anti-grabbing law.
“Land-grabbing is an offence in Lagos State: Anyone caught will be prosecuted.
`The Lagos State Police Command will continue to enforce all laws of the land and anyone violating the laws, irrespective of the offender’s personality, will be prosecuted,’’ the police spokesperson warned.
Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, had on Monday, Aug. 5, 2016, given his assent to the law prohibiting land grabbing in the state.
The law has as its title: The Lagos State Properties Protection Law.
Ambode said the law was enacted to save property owners and investors from being harassed and exploited by land grabbers.
The governor said then that the activities of land-grabbers had discouraged investors and hindered the ease of doing business in the state.
“The Lagos State Properties Protection Law will give legal backing to the operations of our law enforcement officers.
“The main objective of this law is to ensure that our investors, businessmen and the general populace carry on their legitimate land and property transactions without any hindrance or intimidation, henceforth.
“The State Properties Protection Law will eliminate the activities of persons or corporate entities who have been using force and intimidation to dispossess or prevent any person or entity from acquiring legitimate interest and possession of property.
“This will also ensure that the Special Task Force on land-grabbing works with other security agencies to ensure enforcement of the state government and private property rights in the state,’’ Ambode was quoted as saying at the signing ceremony.
