2nd November, 2010
Daystar Christian Centre, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, has cried out over attempt by Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, to take over its 12 acres of land at Olusosun.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the Pentecostal church had acquired the land in 2005 from the owner.
A source in the church told P.M.NEWS that LAWMA Managing Director, Mr. Ola Oresanya, is using the influence of the state government to encroach on the church’s land.
According to the source, “we bought the land since 2005 and since then the land has been fenced round, but LAWMA went to erect a notice board that its owns the land and nobody should trespass.â€
The source further said that the case is before a court and that they have all necessary documents of the land from the state government.
The source further alleged that 4 out of 12 acres of the land have been encroached upon by LAWMA and appealed to the Lagos State government to intervene in the matter.
However, in response to the allegation, LAWMA’s Managing Director, Mr. Ola Oresanya denied the allegation.
Oresanya in a chat with P.M.NEWS said the agency had acquired the land from Omole family of Olusosun since 1989 for the agency’s recycling project and wondered how the church now claimed that the land is now being taken over by LAWMA.
According to him, “LAWMA had occupied the land from Omole family of Olusosun since 1989 and it is for our recycling bank project. We do not encroach on people’s land.
“The case is before the Ministry of Justice, that is capable of ascertaining their claim and their land title. We do not have any case with the church.â€
Oresanya said he was baffled that the church could claim to have a landed property in such an environment. He urged the church to wait for the outcome of the court’s pronouncement on the matter.
—Paul Sanusi & Emmnuel Osodi
