Lagos landlords protest against demolition of buildings at Ibeju-Lekki
February 13, 2021
Many displaced landlords at Oke-Egan community, Kayetoro, Eleko, Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos on Friday protested at the state House of Assembly against what they described as unlawful demolition of over 400 houses in the neighbourhood.
The protesters, who claimed to have bought the land from the community’s native families, explained that they were asleep around 3am on Monday when some government officials led by task force operatives brought down the buildings with bulldozers.
Amid sobs, they displayed placards with the inscriptions, ‘We have been demoralised, nowhere to go,’ ‘We want back our properties,’ ‘Our government has made its citizens helpless,’ ‘We want our land back,’ ‘We are low-income people made homeless,’ ‘Our children are crying,’ among others.
Section 63 of the Maharashtra Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act (for short “MTAL” or “the Act”) barred transfer of Agricultural lands to Non-Agriculturist without the permission of the Collector or Officer authorized by the State Government.
By Maharashtra Act No.1 of 2016 w.e.f. 01/01/2016 Section 63 of the MTAL Act was amended to include a sub section and proviso. By the said amendment the bar for transfer of Agricultural land shall not apply to land situated within the limits of a Municipal Corporation or Municipal Council or within jurisdiction of Special Planning Authority or New Town Development Authority constituted under Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966 (for short “MRTP”) and land allocated to residential, commercial, industrial or any other Non-Agricultural use in the draft of final Regional Plan or Town Planning Scheme.