Land grabbers : Group tasks Lagos CP on incessant invasion of Owode Onirin Spare parts market

The National President of Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR) Comrade Alex Omotehinse has tasked the Lagos state  Commissioner of Police (CP) Moshood Jimoh to urgently intervene and wrest the needless bloodletting orchestrated by certain land grabber in the attempt to forcefully take over Owode Motor Spare Parts Market.

Comrade Omotehinse made the plea in a letter addressed to the AIG Zone 2 Onikan Compol Lagos Command on Thursday, alluding to several onslaught on the land by landgrabbers aided by thugs and some armed policemen, whose stock in trade is to scare helpless traders with gunshots, while the demolition of over 500 shops goes unhindered.

Citing the various moves to seek redress by the traders- like protests staged at the doorsteps of the powers that be to demand intervention in pursuit of peace, but no help came the way of the traders from the government quarters.

The traders seeing that the invading landgrabbers kept coming, also toed the legal path at a court of competent jurisdiction, which ruled that the status quo remained.

But in abject disregard for  the rule of law the landgrabber returned on Thursday, with much force than before, demolishing more shops and inflicting bodily injuries on hapless traders in the process.

Omotehinse cited the fact that the Nigerian Police involvement in the whole saga clearly taints her image and if the concerned office fails to act, it might eventually lead to breach of public peace.

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The letter is availed below.

AIG Zone 2 Onikan

Compol Lagos Command

Dear sir

This is a matter of urgency that needs Ur urgent attention and intervention to save the Name of NPF

It is no longer a news that sometimes early this year, on Thursday 6th of March 2025 to be precise at about 4:30am a Landgrabber led by some armed thugs and heavily armed Policemen invaded the Owode Motor Spare Parts Market and demolished over 500 shops with good worth millions of naira an action that leads to the traders to stage a protest to submit their petition to the speaker Lagos State house of assembly and the Lagos State governor on Thursday 27th March 2025.

When the state assembly and the Lagos State governor refused to intervene on their plight, the trader return to court In the case of B.I.Olowu vs Shomolu LG and Kosofe LG with suit No. ID/1757/1994 currently pending in an Ikeja high court where the court has granted an injunction order on Monday 2nd June 2025 for the status quo to remain pending the determination of the suit before the court and the next adjournment date is 2nd July 2025.

Today Thursday 19th June 2025 we reliably gathered that the Landgrabber mobilized hundreds of thugs and fully armed policemen in their dozens to invade the Owode Motor Spare Parts Market this morning to demolish shops while the policemen were shooting sporadically to scare the traders from stoping the Landgrabber caterpillar from destroying their shops and has injured some traders.

We hereby use this medium in calling on the AIG Zone 2 and the Commissioner of Police Lagos Command CP. Moshood Jimoh to quickly call the policemen to order as there is a Lagos high court order of status quo to remain pending the determination of the suit before the court.

Below are pictorial and video evidences, we also learnt that some of the traders are been seriously injured.

We hereby appeal to the Police authorities to quickly address these issues as a matter of urgency to avoid the breakdown of public order and safety as a delay in enforcing discipline, may lead to an incitement of public.

This is the best time to promote and sustain the rule of law as the parties concerns in the Owode Motor Spare Parts Market have their matter before a court competent jurisdiction.

We shall be glad if this appeal can receive ur urgent attention it deserves.

Thanks.

Yours in struggle

Comrade Alex Omotehinse