By Peter Dansu The once-peaceful Frontline Estate in Agbara (formerly known as the Federal Ministry of Works Highway Staff Quarters), oppo...
By Peter Dansu
The once-peaceful Frontline Estate in Agbara (formerly known as the Federal Ministry of Works Highway Staff Quarters), opposite Ajibade Bus Stop in Olorunda Local Council Development Area, Badagry, Lagos State, has been thrown into chaos as residents raise the alarm over what they describe as an invasion by land grabbers allegedly backed by heavily armed policemen.
Homeowners say the invaders have been issuing eviction threats, demanding that residents vacate their legally acquired properties or face demolition. Thugs reportedly patrol the neighborhood daily, brandishing weapons and spreading fear among families.
Community leader, Mr. Taiwo Okulaja, told Badagry Today that the land was lawfully acquired from the Federal Government years ago, with many residents holding valid Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) issued by the Ministry of Housing.
“We are legitimate allottees of the Federal Government’s sites and services scheme in Agbara. Some of us even bought our plots directly from the government. Today, despite having all necessary documents, we are being harassed on our own land,” Okulaja lamented.
Residents say they had previously resolved disputes with local families who once laid claim to the land, after paying ₦250,000 per allocation in an out-of-court settlement. But their relief was short-lived. Six months ago, they allege, more than 100 armed policemen and thugs stormed the estate, this time claiming to represent Agbara Estate Limited—brandishing possession notices based on a 2008 court judgment.
Since then, the estate has remained under what residents describe as “a siege.” The tension has left families unable to live in peace. Community leaders, including Pastor Abayomi Ogungbade, are appealing to both federal and state authorities, as well as the judiciary and human rights groups, to step in before the situation escalates into violence.
“This is not just about land; it is about our lives and our future. If government fails to act, innocent citizens who bought land from the same government will lose everything,” Okulaja warned.
The dispute has also raised fresh legal questions about jurisdiction, with conflicting claims between Lagos and Ogun States. Multiple court rulings, including a 2024 decision by Justice A. C. Shokunbi in Ogun State and a 2023 ruling by Justice Ogundare in Lagos, affirmed that the 181.303 hectares of land at the heart of the conflict legally falls within Lagos State—not Ogun.
Despite these rulings and several efforts to reach out to the Federal Government and relevant authorities for help, residents insist that the harassment has continued, allegedly with the support of rogue police officers.
For now, Frontline Estate families wait in uncertainty, caught between legal titles from the Federal Government and the threats of land grabbers determined to drive them out of their homes.
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