By Semako Hosu
A woman narrated how Nigerian Naval officers came and demolished her house and some other people’s houses in Topo Badagry on Tuesday 10th November 2020. The woman and her husband were not at home when the unfortunate incident happened. She narrated that when she purchased the piece of land at Topo with her husband, they were not informed of the Nigerian Navy’s interference with the land. It was after sometime that they were told that there was a court case going on concerning the land. After several court sessions, the case was said to be thrown out thereby not favouring either party. “We went as far as the office of the surveyor general of Lagos State to chart the land only to discover that it doesn’t belong to the Nigerian Navy. Not until this fateful day 10-11-2020 that the men of the Nigerian Navy came armed with guns and a caterpillar which they use to demolished our house”, she says. She pleads to the Nigerian government and all well-meaning Nigerians to come to their aid as they have nowhere to lay their heads.
Another victim narrated. “My father had been working on his piece of land since 1967 until he became late”. His father never told him that the Nigerian Navy owned the land and he is now over 45 years of age. He narrates, “The Navy suddenly came sometime ago telling us that we should vacate the land saying the land belongs to the Nigerian Navy. They said they were coming for demolition on Sunday, but they now came on Tuesday at about 12pm in the afternoon and demolished the house. They destroyed both my house and property. We were then warned not to harvest any coconut on the land henceforth. The Navy officers came fully armed with guns. We could only stand and watch while the bulldozer tore down our only place of abode. We were told the case was in court, so we were surprised that the Nigerian Navy came and destroyed our home.”
He calls on the Nigerian government to come to their aid. He adds, “This is purely injustice.”
Another person lamented the destruction of both of his houses and the church building at Topo. His son who spoke with us said they have been on that land for almost 25 years. He told us that about 15 men of the Nigerian Navy, armed with guns, came to their house with a demolition tractor and demolished both their houses. He cried that they are now homeless and the people can no longer worship at the church. The young man cried and appealed to the relevant authorities to come to their aid. He says, “We have nowhere to go.”
Another person narrates, “When the Naval officers came, they met my mother who pleaded with them and told them that she was a widow, but all her pleas fell on deaf ears. Just like the others, her house was also demolished.” The widow called her son, who was already at work, to come and see what had befallen them. This young man gave way to tears. Crying, He said, “We have nowhere to put our heads.” He too pleads for the Nigerian government and well-meaning Nigerians to come to their aid.
UVOBPI’s Analysis
Nigerians, we are better than this. We preach mercy, love, compassion and we are known to be good people. Badagrians are known to be gentle and kind, but why are we letting these deplorable acts befall our communities? If lawlessness continues to survive amongst the law enforcement community, and there is no one to hold accountable these individuals who take laws into their own hands and go about victimising people in our society, then how proud can you truly be to be called Nigerian? We are better than this.
Nigerians, we are better than this. We preach mercy, love, compassion and we are known to be good people. Badagrians are known to be gentle and kind, but why are we letting these deplorable acts befall our communities? If lawlessness continues to survive amongst the law enforcement community, and there is no one to hold accountable these individuals who take laws into their own hands and go about victimising people in our society, then how proud can you truly be to be called Nigerian? We are better than this.
This is the time to preserve the good name of Nigeria. Nigerians are good people and we must all come together to do justice to those who deserve it. Badagrians are not the first victims and they will not be the last if the authorities fail to act now. The majority of Nigeria’s law enforcement are good people. They are just ordinary people in society, but you must stand up against oppression, against injustice, and stop the minority of bad apples amongst you. Stop them damaging Nigeria and your reputation as Nigeria’s law enforcement. Law enforcement is meant to protect its people and communities, not terrorise them.
Photos of properties destroyed by the Naval Officers
No comments