The Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA), the umbrella body of Residents Associations of over 77 gated estates from 1004 Estate area down to Epe, have condemned the incessant harassment of residents and property owners in the highbrow Lekki Peninsular corridor of Lagos by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

LERSA particularly condemned the inhuman treatment of homeowners who are being thrown out of their homes in Victory Park and Goshen Beach Estates and other estates in the area by AMCON with the use of heavily armed policemen and a group of fiercely looking unidentified armed men.

Several families, the association lamented, have been forced out of their homes with mothers and children left out in the heavy down pour of rain with little or no notice at mid-day when most Residents were out for work.

LERSA reiterated the fact that residents and property owners in the affected estates bought into gated estate schemes like most estate development schemes in the Lekki axis of Lagos State. These properties are widely publicised, and in the case of GOSHEN Beach Estate, the sale was a joint venture between the developer and the Lagos State Development & Property Corporation thus giving comfort and confidence to would be subscribers/buyers that they are credible and the titles are free from any encumbrance.

“It is appalling and devastating to buy into a State Government sanctioned transaction only to have homes and life sustaining facilities like sewage treatment, borehole and recreation area forcibly sealed up almost twenty years after purchase.

“In view of the current circumstances of some of our estates with AMCON, it is the opinion of LERSA that the right and equitable thing for AMCON, which is a Government Agency to do, is to go after the assets of Developers who are the loan defaulters and not prey on soft targets that are innocent citizens, who are bona fide purchasers for value, without notice of any encumbrances known to law. The enabling law establishing AMCON stipulates that AMCON Receiver Managers shall take over receivership of properties of judgment debtors subject to existing encumbrances.

“Residents and Property Owners of Victory Park Estate and Goshen Beach Estate who bought their lands and built their homes in the Estates, have suddenly become soft targets of AMCON for the recovery of bad debts.

“It should be noted that our members who are the owners of their properties duly paid for by them have no relationship whatsoever with AMCON. Any bankers who accept common estate facilities such as waterworks, road network, general service infrastructure and so on as collateral for loan will need to question his/her qualifications as a banker. It is shocking to see AMCON appointing a receiver for properties which has been bought and paid for by individual Nigeria citizens rather than go after the judgment debtor, it is appalling that AMCON came after innocent citizens as soft targets after the demise of the developer who is their banks customers. Our properties were acquired and paid for fully without any caveat and or encumbrances.

“The use of force with the help of unidentified armed men to invade, intimidate and force out; law abiding citizens from their homes by any Government Agency is strongly condemned and should not be allowed to thrive in our democracy,” the association lamented.

It called on President Mohammadu Buhari, the Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, the Chairman of AMCON Mr. Muiz Banire and Managing Director, Lawan Kuru to intervene in the matters of Victory Park Estate, Goshen Estate and any other estates in Lekki and ensure that innocent Nigerians are not deprived of their homes and properties.

News Express could not reach AMCON for its reaction to the allegation before the publication of this news story.