The State Commissioner of Information and Strategy ,Mr Steve Ayorinde stated this in a chat with CKN News.
He stated as follows:
1. Ilado (which the Eguns prefer to call Otodo Gbame) has always been a private property and a subject of a law suit, which has been decided in favour of the family owners.
2. It was in November last year, not October, that inter-ethnic clashes between the Yoruba and Eguns got the settlment consumed by fire and not as a result of govt-sponsored demolition.
3. Otodo Gbame was one of the 39 waterfront settlements that took Lagos State to court. There was no court judgement, rather the judge referred the matter to Open Door Mediation which required that both parties maintained status quo. The community violated that order by subtly returning to the waterfront to erect illegal shanties. Due to its security implications on the larger society, in addition to its eye-sore profile on the city, Lagos State Task Force was mandated not to allow any illegal shanties on the waterways.
4. Otodo Gbame was used as a temporary fishing post. The fishermen have their permanent homes in Badagry, Cotonou and Lome. Many have returned home. Others should be encouraged to do likewise rather than spur them on to fight legal owners of the land or to demonise govt.
5. The Lagos State House of Assembly carried out an independent investigation and published its findings, stating clearly that Otodo Gbame was a temporary fishing outpost on the waterways which wanted to illegally appropriate the land that welcomed them on a temporary basis. It is an illegal settlement that shoukd not be allowed to use emotionalism and sensationalism to forcibly take over a private property.
6. Lagos State has no interest in the land whstsoever since it's a private property. The interest of the state is to rid our prime waterways of shanties and illegal structures, particularly when security intelligence has shown clearly that they are either safe havens or gateways for armed robbers, kidnappers and militants.
7. The spate of kidnappings through the waterways of Ikorodu, Epe, Ojo and Sunday's gory killings of 4 police officers and an army captain by militant kidnappers in Ishawo, Ikorodu clearly reinforce the need not to tolerate illegal shanties that harbour criminals elements on our prime waterways.
8. While the government is expected to be considerate and compassionate to the plight of the less privileged and the urban poor, we urge the public to appreciate the fact that government was elected to protect the general public and promote liveable environment.
Tags
Society