I read this article yesterday via mobile punch newspaper with respect to Houses being demolished by the Lagos State Government and i want to comment on some specific things regarding the demolition and property related issues: ( Please read carefully Line by Line)

Lagos demolishes buildings in Epe, residents groan

MARCH 6, 2013 BY SESAN OLUFOWOBI 17 COMMENTS

Residents packing their belongings
Lagos State Government on Tuesday demolished buildings allegedly occupying government land in Odoiragunshi community, Eredo Local Council Development Area, Epe.

The exercise carried out by the combined team of the state Task Force on Environment and Special Offence Unit and Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, left many residents in anguish, watching helplessly as bulldozers pulled down their structures.

Some of the affected residents claimed they possess necessary government documents to prove their ownership of the land on which the buildings were erected.

But government officials argued that the buildings were constructed on an industrial area as reflected in the state master plan.

Although some of the buildings have approved plans boldly written on them, the officials insisted that they were fraudulently acquired from government officials.

No fewer than 100 buildings were completely brought down, while many of the affected residents rushed to the scene from their offices.

Many fainted on seeing government’s bulldozers turn their homes to rubble.

The Chairman of the Task Force, Mr. Bayo Sulaimon, a CSP, said government would not sacrifice the land for selfish interest of some individuals at the expense of the larger public.

This place is meant for a project that will benefit Lagosians. How did they manage to acquire this land in the first place. Apart from that, they built without approval and government cannot allow individual interest to override public interest.

“Those who are building on government’s land, thinking that nothing will happen, should have a rethink. Government will rise up and take action one day. This is a message for land grabbers and unsuspecting buyers,” Sulaiman said.

Sulaiman added that the government had visited the area more than four times to intimate the residents on the new project.

He said, “They (residents) quickly erected the structures, thinking that once they are erected, government would have a rethink.

People should seek information from government on any land before paying for or building on the land.

One of the affected landlords, Mr Tajudeen Debo, said, “I obtained all my papers validly from the government. When they began threatening us we went to Alausa to have a meeting with them but we were told the permanent secretary of Land Bureau was not around, so they rescheduled the meeting for March 13, but today March 5, they are demolishing our houses.”

Meanwhile, the state Assembly has summoned the Commissioner for Physical Planning, Environment and the Permanent Secretary Lands Bureau over the exercise.

A lawmaker, Segun Olulade, who raised the motion under Matter of Urgent Public Importance during a plenary, reminded his colleagues that the Assembly had ordered a “Stay Action” on the land, pending the end of an investigation into the issue.

The Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, said it was better that the commissioner and the officials appear before the House on Tuesday to shed light on this issue.

First and foremost condolence to the families who lost their houses in this demolition. Whether the Government is right or Wrong, it isn't a good thing to hear of somebody's house being razed down either by fire, flood or by demolition. But this demolition has raised some pertinent issues real estate wise which i want to bring out because something fishy is going on in the Land Bureau at Alausa and we must get to the bottom of it. I want to treat some parts that i highlighted boldly from the article and see where we can find a solution to this crisis.

Firstly:

Some of the affected residents claimed they possess necessary government documents to prove their ownership of the land on which the buildings were erected.

But government officials argued that the buildings were constructed on an industrial area as reflected in the state master plan.

Although some of the buildings have approved plans boldly written on them, the officials insisted that they were fraudulently acquired from government officials.

1. If the Land owners had necessary Government Documents to prove ownership, why didn't they present it before their houses where demolished?

2. Also if we take the defence of the Lagos state Government that the buildings where constructed on an industrial area as reflected in the state master plan, how many people knew that area was designated as an Industrial area? The problem here lies squarely on the feet of the Lagos state land bureau because they are known for hoarding Information. Who in their right senses would buy or construct a house where he or she has been told that it has been designated for Industrial purposes and is under acquisition? How many people know they have to do a thorough search before they buy lands. What medium has the Lagos State land bureau taken to educate people on the pros and cons of buying lands in area under acquisition.

Everything is shrouded in secrecy. Even an experienced Property investigator like me still has to navigate the murky corridors of Alausa to get these informations and daily i hear new places that are under acquisition which they hide from the public. For you to even get this information, you have to give kick backs to civil servants to tell you your right talk less of people that have lived in a rural area like Epe all their lives that have no idea what it means for a land to be under Government acquisition or not.

Finally how many people can confidently raise their hands to say they have seen the Lagos State's Masterplan? If i Google New York or the borough of London's Master plan i will get it immediately within seconds and it will tell me which areas to buy and places to avoid. Can the same be said of the city of Lagos? How many people know the areas in Lagos that are zoned for Industrial estate or Government Schemes etc. Personally i think the Lagos State Land Bureau has scored an Own Goal and still scoring it because they fail to inform people about these things. These information are public information that every citizen of Lagos residing here should know. That's why Omoniles reign supreme in Lagos because of this lack of information and its really sad.

3. Another issue is that the Government officials said that the Building plans where fraudulently acquired. First question that comes to my mind is this: Isn't it the Same Lagos state Town Planning Office that approved the building plans? Can somebody procure a building plan from the road? How many people know the process of acquiring a building plan and cost? How did they know the building plans were fraudulent? Did they see the signatures of who approved it? What happened to the fees paid to the Lagos state Government to get this building plan? Are they going to return it? Government fraud and Omonile fraud = Fraud ( Plain and Simple) You cannot rob peter to pay pay and now call the money illegal money. This is a high level scam that i know of that has being going on for years in the Town planning Office. They refuse to educate or divulge information and make the buyer of the land spend so much money stupidly to acquire a fake Building plan and after they have chopped the buyers money, they will now appear and say the land is under acquistion. This is very bad and honestly God will punish these people causing this kind of pain and anguish to homeowners. How do you fraudulently acquire Title documents from GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS? Isn't that double speak of the highest order and extremely contradictory? Where else is a prospective builder supposed to get his document from? Isn't it from a Government official of the relevant Government office responsible for it?

Finally my ranting ends with this quote:

“Those who are building on government’s land, thinking that nothing will happen, should have a rethink. Government will rise up and take action one day. This is a message for land grabbers and unsuspecting buyers,” Sulaiman said.

Bottomline do your land search thoroughly. Now Millions of Naira worth of Houses has been thrown away and demolished if only these people did a thorough search. I will feel sorry for them because they are in Epe and they probably where not exposed to Land searches back then but a prospective land buyer now in Lagos especially in Lekki/ Ajah who ignores this warning should read the above quote properly. Government has left you in the hands of Omonile to deal with you mercilessly and if you fall into their trap, the Government will add more pains to your sorrows.

What a sad world we live in! Pls shine your eye and may God not allow what happened in Epe be your portion