Residents of Santos Layout, Valley Estate and adjoining communities in the Alimosho area of Lagos State have accused suspected land grabbers and hundreds of armed thugs of unleashing terror on their neighbourhood while enforcing a disputed court judgment.

The residents alleged that homes and businesses were vandalised during the operation.

They claimed that shops were sealed, buildings damaged and property destroyed during the three-day operation, which reportedly took place between Thursday, July 30, and Saturday, August 1.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro on Thursday, a resident, Funmilola Ajayi, alleged that several shops and business premises were forcibly shut, while the roofs of some structures were removed.

“The thugs were very violent when they came into the area on Thursday. They locked some shops and removed the roofs of several buildings, including a sawmill. Some owners who settled them have reopened their businesses, while those who refused to pay still have their shops locked,” she alleged.

The auditor of the Santos Layout Phase 1 Residents’ Association, Saburi Odunmbaku, maintained that the estate was lawfully established and approved by the Lagos State Government in 1976.

According to him, neither the estate nor its residents were parties to the court case being relied upon by those enforcing the judgment.

“Santos Layout was approved by the Lagos State Government in 1976, and over 300 houses were built with government approval. We were never parties to the suit from which these people claim to have obtained judgment.

“We did not derive our title from them. If there is any dispute, let everyone return to court. Someone cannot wake up after we have lived here for over 15 years and ask us to vacate our homes because of a judgment in a case we knew nothing about,” he said.

Odunmbaku said the enforcement affected Santos Layout Phases 1 and 2, Valley Estate, Ajimotoko, Alimotu, Aluminium Village and other adjoining communities, adding that some banks and business premises were also shut.

He further alleged that about 400 armed thugs stormed the communities during the operation.

“They came in their hundreds. They were violent, armed with bottles and smoking openly. Anyone who questioned or challenged them was beaten.

“There was even a journalist they assaulted. Whenever they saw residents recording videos, they seized their phones and smashed them. That was what happened on Thursday and Friday.

“The police were there throughout. We were told they had been deployed to maintain peace and order, but the hoodlums carried on with the attacks. The situation remained tense from Thursday to Saturday before it eventually calmed down on Sunday,” he alleged.

Suspected thugs were also alleged to have assaulted The Guardian correspondent, Eniola Daniel, and forced him to delete footage during the operation.

Residents further claimed that other journalists at the scene were forced to flee for safety.

In a video obtained by PUNCH Metro, another resident accused the suspected thugs of invading homes and destroying property indiscriminately.

“These people are entering our houses and breaking our gates without restraint. Is it until they start sleeping with our wives before the government acts? We don’t trust the police or the military anymore. They even told us the courts are not sitting now, so what are we supposed to do? We are begging the government to come to our aid. Some of the hoodlums came with bottles, and some even carried guns apart from the police officers who were there,” the resident said.

Another resident, Oshobodu Oluwabukola, said the community had sought the intervention of the lawmaker representing the area but claimed the attacks continued despite assurances.

According to her, the suspected thugs returned the following day in larger numbers and removed one of the estate’s gates.

“We met Honourable Akin-Johnson, and he asked us to be patient while he looked into the matter with his legal team. But despite that, they returned. We have videos and pictures of them.

“They vandalised houses in Valley Estate and Santos Layout and even carted away an entire gate. This morning they returned in even larger numbers. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu should please come to our rescue. We bought our land legally, we live here and we have Certificates of Occupancy. Please help us,” she pleaded.

Another video seen by PUNCH Metro showed suspected thugs pulling down the gate of one of the properties while moving around the premises in large numbers.

A woman, whose voice was heard in the footage, raised the alarm as she accused the invaders of damaging her property and taking away some of her belongings.

“They came to our compound and broke the fence and gate of our house, which has a Certificate of Occupancy,” she lamented.

The woman was also seen struggling with one of the suspected invaders over a shovel he allegedly attempted to remove from the compound.

However, the attorney to the Yaku family, Alhaji Hassan Ali, dismissed the residents’ allegations, insisting that the operation was a lawful execution of a valid court judgment carried out by court officials.

Ali told PUNCH Metro that the Yaku family had been involved in litigation over the disputed land for several years and eventually secured judgment in its favour, making it the lawful owner of the property.

“This is purely a judgment enforcement issue. The Yaku family are the judgment creditors. They won the case against some other families and subsequently obtained an order for possession from the court.

“It was the court sheriff who took possession and locked the affected properties. Whoever owns the land owns everything on it. If anyone believes they have a better title than the Yaku family, they should challenge the judgment in court because all the relevant documents are available,” he said.

The lawyer also dismissed allegations of violence and intimidation during the enforcement, describing the operation as peaceful.

“They can say whatever they like, but the owner of the land is the Yaku family. This was a lawful execution of a court judgment and a peaceful possession exercise,” he said.

Ali further denied claims that a journalist was assaulted during the operation.

“There is nothing like that. The journalist was not assaulted by anyone enforcing the judgment. He was challenged by one of the residents while making a video. Reports alleging that enforcement officials attacked him are false,” he added.

He maintained that any aggrieved party should seek legal redress rather than challenge the court-backed enforcement. (The PUNCH)

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