Why shanty shops were demolished in Ijora Badia — Adeleye

…Demolition not illegal, tenants served notices—New owner

By Evelyn Usman

The contention implicit the demolition of 35 shanty shops connected Gasikiya College Road, Ijora-Badia, Lagos, has taken a caller twist, arsenic Mr. Omopariola Adeleye, the caller proprietor of the disputed one-acre property, has debunked allegations by Mr. Taiwo Alonge-Lawrence, a subordinate of the precocious Chief Olatunde Lawrence family, that the demolition was illegal.

Adeleye, who displayed his acquisition documents earlier Vanguard, insisted that helium lawfully acquired the land, gave store occupants ample announcement to vacate, and ne'er demanded oregon collected a dime from them since taking ownership successful 2022.

Allegations of onshore grabbing

Alonge-Lawrence had raised the alarm pursuing the September 4, 2025, demolition, alleging that it was carried retired by suspected onshore grabbers successful connivance with officials of the Lagos State Government.

He accused them of taking laws into their hands by approving the demolition despite, according to him, his lawyer submitting documents to beryllium ownership of the land.

Adeleye’s Defence

Speaking to Vanguard, Adeleye dismissed the claims, said: “I purchased the spot done an agent, Lara, who introduced maine to a subordinate of the family, Kehinde Da-Costa Lawrence. He presented each the indispensable documents, including the deed of sale, the missive of administration, and different supporting papers confirming that the onshore had been sold to me. After we signed the agreement, I commenced enactment connected the site.”

He said occupation began erstwhile Taiwo surfaced, claiming the onshore had not been sold adjacent though outgo had already been made. “Surprised, I reached retired to the household that sold the onshore to me. They directed maine to their lawyer, George Itunin of Park View, who besides represents the family’s archetypal son, Dr. Dapo, who lives abroad, on with immoderate of the sisters. The substance was resolved.”

Adeleye maintained that earlier the demolition, discontinue notices were duly served connected the occupants to vacate the shops successful bid for operation enactment to commence, but “Most of them ignored the announcement aft a counter-message instructed them not to determination out. Yet, the notices, copies of which were issued successful March and April 2025, were clear.”

Community, household corroboration

The Baálè of Oridilu, Gasikiya, Chief Lateef Olatunji, meanwhile, besides corroborated Adeleye’s relationship successful the matter.

He said: “As the accepted head, Mr. Adeleye informed maine that helium purchased respective acres of onshore successful Gasikeya Estate, a transaction confirmed by Baba Gasikeya’s son, Kehinde, who admitted selling his stock of the spot to him. Trouble lone began erstwhile helium sought to instrumentality power of the shops built on the obstruction of the onshore helium bought, and 1 of Baba Gasikeya’s sons objected.”

Similarly, Mrs. Aduke Olapade, girl of 1 of the erstwhile administrators of the estate, shed much airy connected the transaction.

She said: “For clarity, my begetter and 2 others were administrators of the Gasikiya estate. At immoderate point, due to the fact that of age, my begetter relinquished his relation to the owner’s eldest son, Kehinde, who lives abroad. He (Kehinde)sold portion of the estate, including those shops, willed to him by his precocious begetter to Mr. Adeleye. The lawyers informed tenants to halt paying rent into the estate’s relationship and instead, wage to the caller owner.

“It was aft the demolition that tenants realised that the onshore really belonged to Mr. Adeleye, who had legally purchased it from my cousin, Kehinde Lawrence. The transaction was perfected by lawyers, and documents were signed. The shops fell wrong the information of onshore sold to Adeleye.

So, this substance is not astir unit oregon illegality; it is astir documented ownership. The household is alert of it.”

Traders number losses

When Vanguard visited the scene, immoderate displaced traders were seen hanging astir the demolished site, selling their wares successful the unfastened arsenic they searched for alternate shops.

One of them, Mrs. Basirat Saidu, a caterer, lamented: “We were told the spot had been sold, but we ne'er met the purchaser face-to-face. I person paid N60,000 for...