The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the invasion of communities in Lagos State and demolition of the building by suspected men of the Nigerian Navy.

The moved is based on the unanimous adoption of a motion moved by Mr Oghene Egoh at the plenary on Tuesday, titled ‘Need to Investigate the Destruction of Homes and Properties at Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency, Lagos State by Naval Officers.’

The House, therefore, resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to;

“find out the remote and immediate causes of the mayhem in order to provide a remedy for the problem and compensate the people who were displaced, and to identify the perpetrators of illegal oil bunkering activities for sanctions to be meted out to them to avoid a repeat of such a dastardly behaviour.”

Moving the motion, Egoh noted that the people of Abule Glass, Abule Elepa, Bobukoji, Idimangoro, Babakati, Kopime, Akaraba, Inagbe, Abule Kamoru, Abule Alfa, Sokoto, Laje, Sopo beach, Kobena beach and Ilashe beach are indigenous communities and residents of the area in Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency, Lagos State, who have lived together for over 300 years.

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He said,

“On 15 January, 2020, there were unprecedented attacks which led to the destruction properties in the above areas that where orchestrated by unknown persons wearing naval uniforms.

Residents of those communities in the riverine areas of Amuwo Odofin, Lagos State, woke up to see bulldozers and caterpillars, fully protected by people in Navy uniform, storming the areas and destroying houses and properties of those indigenous communities that have traditional rulers and baales (chiefs).

“The House is worried that no notice whatsoever was given to them, as they were taken unawares and could not salvage any of their properties before they were crushed into rubbles and sent out of their lands.

“The House is concerned that the displaced persons of the communities, numbering over 10,000 women, children, men, obas and baales, are stranded without being paid any compensation. The people that carried out the ejection and the destruction of the properties claimed that it was due to illegal oil bunkering activities being carried out in the affected communities.

“The House observes that even if there were illegal oil bunkering activities in the areas, it was not everybody in the communities that was involved and, therefore, it was not fair that the whole communities were punished for the offences of a few unruly hoodlums in the areas.”