‘It Was Enforcement Of Illegality’ — Reps To Probe IGP, AGF Over Magodo Estate Siege

The House of Representatives yesterday mandated its Committees on Justice, Public Petition and Police to investigate the alleged involvement of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) in the invasion of Magodo GRA Phase 2, Lagos State, by the police on December 5, 2020.

The lawmakers described the incident as an “attempt to destabilise the peace of Lagos State” and “scuttle the ongoing settlement process and enforce an illegality”.

The House recommended appropriate sanctions against any officer found culpable in the “illegal enforcement and breakdown of law and order”.

The development followed the adoption of a motion of urgent importance to probe the invasion of Magodo GRA Phase 2 by the police under the directive of the IGP and the AGF, moved by Ademorin Kuye and Rotimi Agunsoye.

The House said residents of Magodo GRA Phase 2 Shangisha in Lagos woke up on December 5, 2020 “to the sight of hundreds of arm-wielding thugs, stern-looking and fully armed policemen and members of the Shangisha Landlords Association, purportedly to execute a judgment”.

The Green Chamber said it was aware also that the judgment that was “supposedly being enforced was delivered in 2012 by the Supreme Court in Military Governors of Lagos State & Ors. Vs Adebayo Adeyiga & Ors. in Appeal number SC/112/2002 wherein the apex court affirmed the judgment of the Court of Appeal and the High Court, delivered on December 31, 1993, in suit number ID/795/88”.

The House said it was further aware that the declaratory judgment of the Supreme Court only recognised the judgment creditors as those entitled to the allocation and reallocation of the 549 plots of land in Shangisha Village, not possession of any land.

It also said it was cognisant that several attempts had been made by the Lagos State government – from 2012 to 2015 – to settle the matter amicably, making different engagements with the judgment creditors and presenting a proposal for reallocation in the Magodo Residential Scheme within the Badagry area of the state, which some of them accepted.

The House said the Lagos State government, again in 2016, initiated a settlement to reallocate Ibeju Lekki Coastal Scheme in Ibeju Lekki Area but this was rejected by the lead plaintiff, Chief Adebayo Adeyiga, as government continued to dialogue with majority of the judgment creditors to reach a concession towards implementing the judgment.

It expressed worry that despite the current settlement efforts and the pendency of an interlocutory injunction, dated December 1, 2020, before the Court of Appeal, seeking an order restraining him and his agents, “Chief Adeyiga, purportedly encouraged by the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police, stormed the estate with unknown bailiffs and armed security operatives to execute a judgment that was purportedly delivered by a Lagos High Court”.

The House was also worried that the execution being presently allegedly executed through the office of the AGF with the connivance of the IGP is illegal as only the Lagos state Deputy Sheriff can execute same and not thugs aided by Police men.

“The House is more worried that the highhandedness and reckless show of force on December 5, 2021 and January 4, 2022 in Magodo by Chief Adeyiga and his cohorts in blatant disregard to Order 8, Rule 17 of the Supreme Court Rules 2014 and Section 37 of the Enforcement of Judgment and Order Part III of the Sherriff and Civil Process Act, LFN 2004, can lead to loss of lives and properties and ultimately breakdown of law and order.

“The House is most worried the AGF is destabilising Lagos State by using his office to back this illegality as a meddlesome interloper and the instrumentality of state – the Nigerian Police Force and their illegal court bailiffs – to scuttle ongoing settlement between the Lagos State government, Magodo GRA 2 Residents and the judgment creditors,” the lawmakers said.