Gowon Estate Residents Cry Out Over Alleged Land Encroachment, Rising Insecurity in Lagos
Residents of Gowon Estate in the Alimosho area of Lagos State have raised alarm over what they describe as persistent land encroachment, worsening insecurity and the collapse of basic infrastructure within the federal government-owned housing estate.
The residents have called on the Federal Government, the Lagos State Government and the Inspector General of Police to urgently intervene, accusing a land speculator identified as Ishola Abiodun, popularly known as Ejigbadero, of illegally taking over portions of land reserved by the Federal Housing Authority (FHA).
They also appealed to the Minister of Works and Housing to investigate and sanction FHA officials alleged to be collaborating with land grabbers in the estate.
Speaking with journalists in Gowon Estate, the spokesperson of the Community Development Association (CDA) Task Force, Estate CDA North, Mr Cosmas Robort, alleged that Ejigbadero, in connivance with some FHA officials, had converted all the FHA-designated reserved areas – popularly known as “Kuwait” – which were originally meant for recreational use and future development.
According to Robort, the alleged land grabber has claimed that the estate land belonged to his father and has proceeded to allocate portions of the land to individuals for various commercial activities, including block moulding industries, car wash businesses and mechanic workshops.
He further alleged that the most recent development involved the demolition of the estate’s perimeter fence, stretching from the Moshalasi axis to Ponle Bus Stop and Egbeda Market, while shops were being constructed along the breached fence line.
The community expressed deep concern over the increasing rate of crime and insecurity, describing the estate as having become a haven for criminals and drug dealers since the alleged takeover of the reserved areas.
Robort noted that the construction of shops along the fence of public schools within the estate had encouraged the infiltration of illicit drug dealers and other criminal elements, posing serious risks to residents and schoolchildren.
He disclosed that repeated visits and petitions to security authorities, including the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, had so far yielded no tangible results, prompting residents to make a fresh appeal to the government for intervention.
“The whole of Gowon Estate is now porous. Recently, he has broken down almost all the perimeter fences and is selling the land to individuals,” Robort said.
“The porous nature of the estate has led to the free movement of armed robbers, drug dealers and kidnappers. The area has also become a meeting and take-off point for criminals and secret cult activities. All these are allegedly caused by Ishola Abiodun Ejigbadero, who is said to be the chairman of Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA.”
Robort stressed that youths in the estate had resisted the temptation to take the law into their own hands, warning that such actions could threaten peace. He called on Ejigbadero to dismantle all allegedly illegal structures erected within the estate in the interest of public safety and harmony.
He added that the Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area (LCDA) was aware of the situation, noting that fear had gripped residents. “Everybody is now living in fear. You cannot return home in the evening without fear of being kidnapped, assassinated or having your phone snatched,” he said.
The residents also accused some FHA officials of backing the alleged illegal acquisition and sale of government land within the estate, claiming that the distortion of the original FHA master plan had led to blocked drainage systems, frequent flooding and severely deteriorated roads.
According to the CDA, FHA officials assigned to oversee the estate from Festac Town to Gowon Estate had compromised their responsibilities, allowing construction on drainage paths and over underground cables.
They further alleged that lands originally designated for a primary healthcare centre and a primary school within the estate had been sold, preventing the development of essential public facilities.
“As a result, our children now have to travel several kilometres to attend school, exposing them to danger. Primary healthcare facilities, for which the government has made provisions and allocated funds, cannot be built because the land has been sold,” the residents lamented.
The community also claimed that plans to charge the matter to court had stalled, alleging that individuals assumed to be acting as landlords had compromised the process.
They emphasised that Gowon Estate is a Federal Government housing estate populated by personnel from various federal institutions, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Navy, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Airways, the News Agency of Nigeria, as well as workers from other government departments and the private sector.
The residents concluded by urging the Federal Government to urgently come to their aid and restore order, security and the original purpose of the estate.
