(http://edge.punchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Coleman-Wires-and-Cables-360x203.jpg)Policemen from the Ibafo division, led by their Divisional Police Officer, on Tuesday evicted workers of Coleman Wires and Cables from a land located in Arepo end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Three others, Step Development Limited, Aku Construction Company Limited and some squatters were also sent packing from the area.
The affected people and companies had before the eviction, occupied over six acres of land in the area said to belong to one Olajitan family.
The eviction was said to be based on a court judgement delivered on March 11, 2013 at Court 5, Abeokuta High Court, Ogun State, in favour of Zaccheus Olajitan and Abel Olajitan.
Counsel for the claimants, Mr. Olufemi Ajiboso, told PUNCH Metro that a suit was instituted against the defendants in 2010, after they had bought the said land from the World Evangelism Corporation owned by Pastor Samson Ayorinde in 2008.
"Ever since the defendants bought the land, my clients had been writing them but they paid no attention. In fact Aku Construction and Coleman claimed that Ayorinde had told them that the land had been acquired by the Ogun State Government and this was never the case.
"Four conditions must be fulfilled before a piece of land is acquired by the government. The land owners must have received a letter from the government stating the intended use of the land. There must be compensation and publication.
"It must also be gazetted by the state government and the land must be used for public purposes. None of these occurred. It must also be noted that Ayorinde had no title document for the land he sold to the four defendants. We eventually filed a suit against the defendants."
PUNCH Metro gathered that the claimants, after the March 11 verdict, received a consequential order of possession on May 15, 2013, while the defendants were allegedly served shortly after.
Our correspondent, who went to the scene, reported that it took the intervention of the DPO before the affected people respected the court judgment.
The DPO was said to have invited the representatives of the companies for a discussion where they were informed that Olajitan family had a valid court order. They were advised not to resist eviction.
"The DPO later came here with his DCO to supervise the eviction himself. That was how we were able to take possession of our land," Ajiboso added.
A copy of the judgement by Justice O. Majekodunmi, made available to PUNCH Metro, read in part, "It is hereby declared that the claimants are entitled to the Statutory Right of Occupancy in respect of the land in dispute which is covered by survey plan NO: WAT /OG308/92 and WAT/OG309/92.
"An order of perpetual injunction is hereby granted restraining the defendants, their servants, agents or privies from further acts of trespass on the said land."
PUNCH Metro saw employees of CWC loitering outside the company. Some senior managers had reportedly pleaded for time to load supplies for a client who was waiting to take his goods.
The managers who declined identifying themselves however, refused to speak with our correspondent. They claimed they were not in a position to speak for the company.