Fashola warns land speculators

Governor Babatunde Fashola

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola on Wednesday warned land speculators to desist from further encroaching on the state acquired land at Iba New Town in Ibefun Community, Ijagemo in Iba Local Council Development Area.

The governor handed down the warning after inspecting a large expanse of land earmarked for massive affordable houses under the Iba New Town Development Scheme.

But the state government discovered that part of the acquired land had been sold to people without approval.

However, after a plea by the Head of Bada Family of Ijagemo, Chief Akibu Bada to spare the illegal structures already built on the land, Fashola promised that they would not be demolished but warned against further encroachment.
He said, “The state government will not tolerate any situation where the waiver given to those who have already developed property on the acquired land will encourage land speculators to engage in indiscriminate selling of the land.”


He subsequently instructed government surveyors to see how to incorporate the encroached portions into the plan of the state for the Iba New Town so that the construction process for the affordable houses could be set in motion.

The governor also directed the Commissioner for Housing, Mr Bosun Jeje, who was present during the inspection to liaise with his Physical Planning counterpart to set the boundaries for the existing encroachments and draw the map.

Fashola told the residents of the area that he was visiting them as part of the fulfillment of his electioneering promises to provide affordable houses for Lagosians.

He added that that his visit had also enabled him to see the state of roads in Ikotun, Ijegun and Ijagemo, assuring that government would rehabilitate them.

PUNCH