Thugs invade community to effect court order

The once serene neighbourhood of Peace Estate near Ilamoshe community, Lagos State has now become a theatre of violence following allegations by residents that thugs have been harassing and terrorising their community in the last one month.

The armed thugs who claimed they got a court judgement to take over some properties in the estate allegedly destroyed some buildings and dispossessed people of their belongings.

The development has now prompted residents of the estate led by their leaders to call on the Lagos State Government to intervene as the once serene residential has become a target for the land grabbers who have been harassing and terrorising their community in the last one month.

The PRO, Peace Estate CDA, Evangelist Emmanuel Faka said that although Peace Estate is part of Ilamoshe, it is not part of the judgment the families claimed they got.

“When they came to demolish properties and looted a lot of items at Ilamoshe community, they did not enter this estate. But recently, they came to our estate heavily armed, harassing and terrorising everybody in this estate. They said our estate was included in the said judgment. What we are trying to let Lagos State government know is that we are not contesting the judgment Ojo Barber or whatever he calls himself is claiming he got, but what we are saying is that there is a legal way to go about it and that is why we are telling the government to intervene to avoid breakdown of law and order.

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“We are asking the state government according to the police authority which told us they cannot do anything until residents of Peace Estate go to the state office of Surveyor-General to determine the houses that were affected by that judgment, to call the thugs to order.

“The police said they have ordered Ojo Barber and his thugs to stop destroying people’s properties, harassing and terrorising the residents of the estate.

“But up till now, the people still come to our estate every day and what they come to do, we don’t know. We have gone back to the police to report the presence of the thugs in our estate.

“But what the police told us is that as far as they are not destroying properties, harassing and terrorising the residents of the estate with their presence, they should not talk to them, because the thugs have been warned not to embark on any act of violence in the estate. “However, we told the police that we don’t want them at all in our estate because they are creating psychological fear in us,” Fakas said.

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