Festac landowners debunk newspaper publication on FHA, say no court order was violated
A group, Authentic/Genuine Allottees of plots of land in Festac phase 2, popularly called 6th Avenue, in Lagos State has debunked a publication in a national daily with the title: Festac town residents petition IGP over FHA’s violation of Court Order.
The group asked those who did the publication not to deceive themselves but to simply produce their authentic FHA allocation letters rather than hiding under the banner of Residents of Festac Town to commit illegality.
They debunked the claims made in the publication published in the Vanguard Newspaper edition of 23rd November, saying that it was the Omonile’s (Land grabbers) and illegal occupants that were behind the publication which it claimed was false and misleading with intent to confuse and deceive the public.
“” The land at 6th avenue legally belongs to the FHA and not the Omonile’s. Those who illegally purchased the land from the Omonile’s are those crying wolf and raising deceptive alarm, with the crude intention of dispossessing the genuine allottees of their plots of land,” the group noted.
The Authentic Genuine Allottees disclosed in a statement signed by its Chairman, Mr Vitus Okwara that “The area in question is not under any court contention, FHA has not committed any contempt of court order.
“That FHA is demolishing illegal construction along access roads in the estate and not buildings.”
According to them, the previous management of FHA under the previous administration had planned to demolish all illegal buildings starting from Abule Ado and return all the land to genuine/authentic allottees but for the magnanimity of President Tinubu and present MD of FHA, Hon. Ojo, who do not want to demolish already built houses.
It noted that what the FHA is set out to do is to recover the undeveloped area and give it to the true owners.
The statement noted further “That the Omonile’s sold FHA allotted lands to illegal occupants who constitute themselves as hooligans and preventing authentic owners of the land from taking possession of their lands, lands that were allocated for over 20 years.
“”That the authentic owners are now calling the president of Nigeria, the Senate President,IGP, Speaker House of representatives and all well meaning Nigerians to stop the Omoniles and their collaborators, illegal occupants, from harassing the authentic owners of the land who have come out to do everything legally possible to possess their land.
” That most of the allotees and authentic/genuine owners acquired the allocations from proceeds of their retirement benefits, some well over 20 years, and for FHA to seat idly and allow money bags and land grabbers dispossess them of their hard earned property is most unfair and absurd.
“That some people misguidedly and stubbornly approached or were received by Omonile (Land grabbers) to buy FHA lands which have been allocated to genuine owners many years ago.
“That the illegal occupiers, Omonile, touts and holigans attack and maim genuine land owners when they attempt to go and take their lands to develop them.
“That the authentic owners have concluded that if the federal housing authority does not do something to help them recover their plots, they would be left with no other alternative but seek redress in the court against the FHA.
” That the criminality must stop where somebody will wake up one day and build in a land that belongs to federal government and be claiming right.
” That If you are an Igbo and bought FHA land from Omonile (Land grabbers) and thinks you will get away with it by weeping up ethnic sentiments, you have failed.
Weeping up sentiment on an illegality will surely lead to nowhere. Nigeria is not a lawless society. You are supposed to have checked properly before buying.
” That those who encroached on FHA land should know that they will face the consequences of their actions, some day.
” That FHA must use both the federal and state tools to flush out all the Omoniles in their land nation wide otherwise Nigerians will cease to have confidence in buying land from FHA because it is heart broken that decent/law abiding Nigerians bought land from FHA with the hope of not running into trouble only for the Omonile to pursue them from FHA land. It is unimaginable.
“That the spread of lies by illegal occupiers and their land grabbers and collaborators through uninformed media outlets against the FHA is very shameful and that the General public should disregard such misinformation and lies”.
Recall that the Vanguard Newspaper Publication report disclosed that residents of Festac Town, Lagos, had petitioned the Inspector General of Police, IGP, over alleged flagrant disregard of the rule of law by officials of the Federal Housing Authority, FHA.
The claimed festac residents group through their lawyer, Mr. Adetayo Bello, had alleged that the FHA has continued to demolish properties in Festac Extension 6th Avenue despite a valid court injunction restraining further demolitions.
But the authentic Allotees group said the publication was done to deceive the public with falsehood and with intent to distort the truth.
