In a disturbing turn of events, concerned residents of Baruwa in the Ipaja area of Lagos State have raised a red flag over the proliferation of illegal shanties and dumpsites engulfing the disputed properties of Shalom Nursery and Primary School and Cedar College in the neighborhood.
Speaking on the development, Dr. Kolade Ajani, the leader of the concerned residents, decried the absurdity of allocating portions of the land to individuals for trading activities when the area was originally designated for educational and residential purposes.
He expressed deep concern that the individuals assigning these portions are not the rightful owners of the properties.
Ajani stressed the urgent need for government intervention to halt these acts of impunity, emphasizing the potential danger to the safety and security of students in the school.
He warned that the shanties provided by land grabbers could serve as potential hideouts for hoodlums and criminal gangs, posing a serious threat to the community and the students.
This alarming situation follows a recent incident where over 40 suspected land grabbers invaded the school, disrupting academic activities and claiming ownership of the land.
Babajide Olaniyonu, another member of the group, highlighted the emergence of illegal refuse dumps in the vicinity due to the encroachment of shanties.
Olaniyonu urged the state government to take immediate steps to address the issue, emphasizing that failure to act promptly could compromise the health of the community residents.
He called attention to the fact that the illegal occupants allegedly paid amounts ranging from N50,000 to N70,000 for each allocated space.
In response to the escalating crisis, Mr. Adebayo Akinola, the Registrar of Shalom Group of Schools, expressed shock at the encroachment of miscreants erecting shanties around the school premises.
Akinola revealed that a portion of the land has been converted into an illegal dumpsite, causing distress to the residents.
The Registrar highlighted a court injunction that restrains both parties involved in the land dispute from accessing the contested area.
Despite the school management’s efforts to report the situation to the local council authority, particularly the environmental section, the issue persists, putting the lives and properties of students and residents at risk.
Akinola concluded by urgently calling on the state government and the concerned local council to intervene, safeguarding the well-being of residents and students alike.
The situation remains precarious, and the community waits anxiously for decisive action to restore order and security to the once peaceful Baruwa neighborhood.
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