…Demand Attorney-General’s Intervention, Compensation, and Public Apology
Daud Olatunji
A community of commercial farmers in Lagos State has accused the state government of abandoning them in the wake of a military invasion that reportedly destroyed farmland and agribusiness investments worth over ₦3 billion.
The farmers, under the Afero Commercial Farmers’ Cooperative, say their land was lawfully allocated by the Lagos State Government but was forcefully taken over in December 2023 by operatives of the Nigerian Army, allegedly acting on behalf of the Federal Government.
In a petition to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and a letter addressed to the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the group, through its legal representatives Smith & Bankole Legal Practitioners, accused the state government of stalling legal mediation and neglecting their plight.
“Our clients are victims of double jeopardy. They were lawfully allocated land by the Lagos State Government, only to be displaced by another arm of government. And now, the same officials who allocated the land are dodging responsibility,” said Kayode Bankole, counsel to the farmers.
‘Armed Soldiers, Bulldozers Destroyed Our Farms’
According to the farmers, the destruction took place between December 10 and 11, 2023, at farm settlements in Mutaku, Egan, and Eluju-Mowo along the Itokin-Epe Road.
“Armed soldiers stormed our farms without prior notice. They beat our workers, released our livestock, and bulldozed everything — from palm trees to poultry pens, irrigation systems, fish ponds, and farmhouses,” said Prince Wale Oyekoya, Chairman of the group.
Oyekoya explained that the land was allocated to the farmers in 2014 as compensation after they were previously displaced from Afero Village, Epe, to pave the way for the proposed Lekki International Airport. The farmers said they had since transformed the land into modern agricultural hubs.
Banks Demand Loan Repayment Amidst Losses
Legal documents reviewed by PLATFORM TIMES show that the farmers had invested billions of naira in infrastructure and facilities. One of the affected businesses, Bama Farms Limited, which occupies over 100 acres, is now under threat from creditors.
A Stanbic IBTC Bank letter dated January 24, 2024, issued a final demand for repayment of a ₦53 million overdraft, warning of impending legal actions.
“The farms were preparing for festive season sales when the Army invaded. Livelihoods were shattered overnight. It’s unconscionable,” said Prof. L.O. Smith, SAN, lead counsel to the farmers.
Mediation Collapses Over Govt’s Absence
The legal dispute, currently before the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse (LMDC), has been stalled due to what the farmers described as the Lagos State Government’s “tardiness and lack of cooperation.”
Despite five mediation sessions since early 2024, Lagos State representatives have either failed to appear or shown up without critical documents — including a long-promised committee report.
“Even the court’s mediator has now declared that proceedings will not resume unless the Attorney-General personally intervenes,” Bankole added.
The case is referenced as LMDC/04-24/173/WI-M, with the farmers listed as Adfosun Farms Ltd & 13 others, against the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Nigerian Army, the Attorney-General of Lagos State, and two others.
‘Government Gave What It Didn’t Own’
The lawyers say they later discovered that the disputed land, allocated by the Lagos State Government, was allegedly owned by the Federal Government and designated for military use — raising serious concerns about due diligence and inter-governmental coordination.
“This is not just about land. It is about institutional failure and betrayal. These farmers were first displaced for a state project. Now, they’ve been displaced again, this time by the military,” said Prof. Smith.
Demands and Threat of Legal Action
The farmers are demanding the following from the Lagos State Government:
N500 million in aggravated damages for each affected farmer, full monetary compensation promised since 2013, a public apology and fresh allocation of farmland to resume farming operations.
They also threatened to escalate the matter to both the Lagos State High Court and the ECOWAS Court of Justice if action is not taken within seven days.
“We are not just victims; we are contributors to Lagos’ food security,” Oyekoya said. “Our survival is now on the line.”
As of the time of filing this report, officials of the Lagos State government could not be reached for a reaction .
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