The Lagos State Government says it has received one thousand petitions relating to forceful take-over of landed properties in the last one year.

The Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), made this known on Wednesday at the Ministerial Press Briefing to commemorate Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s first anniversary.

Onigbanjo, who is also the Attorney-General of the State, said the petitions were received through the Special Task Force Against Land Grabbers.

He said that out of the one thousand petitions received, 350 were successfully resolved within the year.

Onigbanjo noted that deliberate efforts were made by the government to strengthen the task force to arrest and prosecute suspected notorious land grabbers.

“This will send a strong signal about the determination of the present administration to rid the state of illegal dispossession of landowners.

“The task force with five counsel received one thousand petitions out of which 350 have so far been resolved, while over 600 are pending and are at various stages of resolution.

“About 20 petitions are currently being prosecuted in court; 20 properties under dispute are marked with inscriptions by the Office, to prevent any further transactions until pending issues are resolved.

“The arrest and prosecution of several suspected land grabbers are also effected, in conjunction with security personnel, attached to the Governor’s Monitoring Team,” he said.

The commissioner said that one of the cases handled by the task force included the Ejigbo land grabbing matter, which had gone viral.

It was popularly known as the Adeoye’s case, in which a warrant of arrest was issued against the three alleged land grabbers.

He said there was the arrest and prosecution of land grabber at Ogudu Government Reservation Area (GRA) Residential Scheme II; and recovery of land from a land grabber at Ojota, among others. (NAN)