* Ambode * Source : pulse.ng
…Says It Is End Of The Road For Omo- Oniles
Ambode Signs Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode has signed the Lagos State Properties Protection Law, which outlaws the activities of land grabber popularly called in local parlance as Omo –Onile.
According to Ambode the development makes land grabbing in the state by a thing of the past
This just as the Lagos State number 1 citizen also signed the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Law,.
The governor, who spoke shortly after the signing ceremony, explained that the essence of the second law according to the governor is to boost security of lives and property in all the Local Government Areas (LGA) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDA)of the State.
Present at the signing event was the Lagos State Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade among other top government functionaries.
Speaking further Ambode stated the laws were central to his administration’s focus of safeguarding the lives of all residents, as well as attracting, growing investments and improving the ease of doing business in the State.
According to him, “In addition to equipping our security agencies, we have now created a legal framework to put some form of communal protection in place to boost and support the great job the Nigeria Police is presently doing.”
He stated that the Neighbourhood Safety Corps would assist the police and other security agencies to maintain law and order across the communities, stressing that the Neighbourhood Safety Agency that the new law established, would also be charged with the responsibility of registering all private home security and any other person employed for private home security amongst other things.
Speaking on the Properties Protection Law, the Lagos State governor noted that one of thing that discouraged investors and hindered the ease of doing business in Lagos in the past had always been the activities of land grabbers.
He maintained that a lot of would-be property owners’ encountered untold harassment from exploitative land grabbers and that signing of this law mark the end of the road for such land grabbers.
According to him, “The Lagos State Properties Protection Law will give legal backing to the operations of our law enforcement officers. The main objective of this Law is to ensure that our investors, businessmen and the general populace carry on their legitimate land/property transactions without any hindrance or intimidation henceforth.”
He continued, “The Properties Law will eliminate the activities of persons or corporate entities who use force and intimidation to dispossess or prevent any person or entity from acquiring legitimate interest and possession of property, ensure that the Special Task Force on Land-Grabbers work with all Security agencies to ensure enforcement of State Government and Private property rights in the State, and ensure proper coordination of the efforts of the various agencies of Government charged with enforcing the State Government’s rights over land in Lagos,” the Governor said.
The governor noted that the presence of the heads of the three arms of government ; the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, at the signing event demonstrate and confirmation the seriousness and resolve of government of Lagos State to address the issues once and for all.
On his part, the State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, said that the laws marked demonstration of promise kept by the present administration, adding that the donation of security equipment to security agencies on two occasions within six months had aided the police and other security agencies in reducing crime.
He stated that the laws would go a long way in further providing the necessary legal, human and material support to security services in the discharge of their duties.
Also speaking ,the Speaker Obasa said the signing of the two laws confirmed that Lagos is being governed by a responsible governor and a responsive government, adding that the move was also a clear and emphatic message to criminals that Lagos is a no go area for their criminal activities.
The Chairman of Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Dele Oloke commended Governor Ambode for taking the initiative on the laws, adding that the Properties Protection law would go a long way in curbing the illegal activities of land grabbers, otherwise known as Omo-Oniles and their sponsors, whom he said are sometimes respectable persons in the society.
