Soldiers, fully armed on Tuesday invaded the site of a Lagos State Housing project on Lagos Island, Nigeria and sealed off the place after driving away construction workers on site.
The premises is expected to house the corporate head office of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA). It will also include a jetty for water transportation.
The soldiers were said to be acting under the instruction of the Federal Government saying they are members of a Presidential Taskforce.
Soldiers, fully armed on Tuesday invaded the site of a Lagos State Housing project on Lagos Island, Nigeria and sealed off the place after driving away construction workers on site.
The premises is expected to house the corporate head office of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA). It will also include a jetty for water transportation.
The soldiers were said to be acting under the instruction of the Federal Government saying they are members of a Presidential Taskforce.
Breaking the news of the invasion yesterday, Secretary of Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC), Mr. Babajimi Benson said:“We were developing a large parcel of land opposite the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) building in Ikoyi. We are building three structures – one is multi storey car park that is expected to accommodate 850 cars.
“We are about 40 percent into the project. The car park has facility to accommodate physically challenged. In that same building, we are building offices that will accommodate Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) Head office, and also a world-class jetty that will be used by all Lagosians.
The Managing Director of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mr. Yinka Marinho lamented the stopping of the project by the Federal Government.
Speaking further on the work stoppage, the LSDPC Secretary; Mr. Babajimi Benson lamented that: “It is unfortunate that we find ourselves in this situation because a lot of work has gone into it. We have however put a temporary jetty at Falomo pending the building of a new jetty. It happens to be a major stop for most commuters who use waterways for workers who work around Ikoyi and Obalende areas,’ he said.
“At about 10 am this morning, we got a distressing call from our partner, unfortunately our partner is funding the project and have expended about N7 billion on the project. The tax payers’money of Lagos state is not involved at all. When we received the call, we rushed to the site and saw soldiers in their uniform asking us to show proof of ownership and title to that land,” he explained.
According to him, the LSDPC had the Certificate of Occupancy to the land, as the corporation had been working on the land since 2010 without any form of molestation.
Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba however blamed the recent tussle and cold war between the state and Federal Government on the Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musliu Obanikoro.
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