**Interview with Residents of Okun Ajah, Lagos State, on Property Encroachment Issues**

**Interviewer:** Can you explain the circumstances that have led you to seek intervention from President Bola Tinubu?

**Alhaji Abimbola Oshilaja:** Certainly. We are a collective of residents and landowners in the Okun Ajah area, and our primary concern is the illegal encroachment on our properties linked to the realignment of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project. We firmly believe that these actions are unfair and infringe upon our rights.

**Interviewer:** What steps have you taken to address this issue?

**Oshilaja:** Last month, we initiated separate lawsuits against the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, the Ministry of Works, Hi-Tech Construction Company Ltd, the Lagos State Governor, and the Attorney-General of Lagos State. We believe it’s unacceptable for the Minister and his team to infringe on our legally owned properties under the pretext of realigning the road.

**Interviewer:** You mentioned that your property titles are legitimate. Could you provide more details on that?

**Oshilaja:** Certainly. We acquired our property titles through legal means from the Lagos State government. However, we never received any notification of revocation or compensation before the Ministry of Works suddenly altered the coastal road alignment to incorporate our properties. Over 400 homeowners in our community are now living in fear of potential destruction of their homes.

**Interviewer:** How do you perceive the handling of this situation?

**Oshilaja:** It’s disheartening to see lawful property owners like us being harassed while influential individuals who also encroached upon the original coastal road alignment seem to sidestep any consequences. This situation epitomizes injustice. We’ve brought the issue before the courts, but we urgently seek the President’s assistance.

**Interviewer:** What legal grounds do you believe reinforce your case?

**Mr. Adeyemi Tajudeen (Counsel):** The Minister’s actions represent a blatant abuse of power and violate Section 28 of the Land Use Act. This legislation stipulates that before any land acquisition, property owners must be notified of revocation, given a fair hearing, and compensated properly. Unfortunately, none of these rights were honored in our case.

**Interviewer:** Can you provide some historical context regarding land titles in your community?

**Tajudeen:** Of course. In 2006, an excision was granted to the Okun Ajah community by then-Governor Bola Tinubu, who is now the President. At that time, the Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning confirmed our land was not included in the planned coastal road project. Our clients, having purchased land from the community, have enjoyed peaceful possession until this recent misalignment.

**Interviewer:** What outcomes do you hope to achieve through your legal actions?

**Tajudeen:** We are pursuing justice and a restraining order against the Minister, the Ministry of Works, Hi-Tech Construction Company, and others. Our goal is to safeguard our clients’ rights and restore the original coastal road alignment, as they possess legitimate claims to their properties. We are respectfully appealing to Mr. President to intervene and encourage the Minister to act justly.

**Oshilaja:** It’s crucial to emphasize that our clients hold valid titles to their properties. We’re hopeful that the President will intervene to uphold the rule of law and ensure that the legitimate rights of property owners in Okun Ajah are recognized and protected.