If you have ever acquired property/land in Lagos, then you are no stranger to the menace that is popularly called ‘omo onile’, otherwise known as land grabbers. As old as time itself, these land grabbers have caused untold problems for many people who are interested in owning landed property in Lagos.

These miscreants operate all over the state in diverse ways. They can sell a piece of land to you and have no qualms whatsoever selling the same piece of land to another person, thereby causing a scuffle that can drag on for years, the sad part is you can’t hold them to it, they are like a law unto themselves. Imagine after purchasing a land that runs into millions of naira, somebody emerges from nowhere and insists you pay some amount of money before you can commence construction on the said piece of land. If you want to start the foundation of your house, you must pay them; to fence the property, you must pay them; and to roof the house, well your guess is as good as mine. Some of these omo oniles even charge according to the number of storeys you want to erect, it has been reported that some land owners have had to part with as much as a million naira to these hoodlums. Sometimes out of frustration, some people have had to abandon their building projects halfway when they could no longer meet their demands. It is ludicrous and absurd and the mind-boggling part is for the longest time, these omo oniles have operated like they are above the law, thereby discouraging a lot of intending land owners.

One thing worthy of note is this problem seem to be peculiar to Lagos State, in other states of the federation, it is unheard of. Over time, Lagosians have criticized the failure of previous administrations to check the activities of the omo onile and this was attributed to the alleged sway they have with some traditional rulers and even government officials. It has been said that some operate with the full knowledge of the law enforcement officers in that zone.

To curb this worrisome trend, the Lagos State Government has enacted a new law to curb the activities of these omo oniles, this law couldn’t have come at a better time. The state of assembly has passed a bill to prohibit forceful and illegal occupation of landed properties in the state. The law prohibits the incessant forceful entry and occupation of landed properties, violent and fraudulent conducts in relation to landed properties in Lagos State. It has also approved a 21 year jail term for anyone found guilty of land grabbing. To enforce this law, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has inaugurated a task force whose main responsibility is to reduce the activities of the land grabbers to the barest minimum in the state and to ensure strict enforcement of government and private property rights in the state.

To show their seriousness in tackling this problem, the Lagos State Government has made available hotlines of the newly set-up task force to the general public. Reach the Lagos State Committee on land grabbers aka omo oniles  on: 09096667123, 09020085005 and omoonileTF@lagosstate.gov.ng

The passage of this bill into law in Lagos State is a huge step towards a lasting solution to the activities of the land grabbers which have become an age long menace in the state and Lagosians earnestly hope that it will be duly enforced.