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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Conflict & Security

Lagos firm accuses task force of alleged land grab

From The Punch · (just now) English Critical tone

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Advance Lincon Limited accuses the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) of allegedly taking over its land in Lekki, despite a subsisting court order to maintain the status quo.
  • The firm claims lawful allocation and possession of the land, evidenced by a Certificate of Occupancy issued in 2014, while another entity has laid claim without valid title.
  • Concerns are raised over the alleged disregard for the rule of law and the potential weaponization of state power, with contempt proceedings initiated.

A serious accusation has been leveled against the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) by Advance Lincon Limited, a firm alleging that the agency has engaged in land grabbing. The company asserts that its property in Lekki, specifically Plot Block 69H, Lekki Peninsula Scheme II, has been unlawfully taken over by the Taskforce, acting on behalf of a rival claimant, despite a clear court order mandating all parties to maintain the status quo. This alleged defiance of a court order strikes at the heart of the rule of law in Nigeria.

The dispute centres on a parcel of land identified as Plot Block 69H, Lekki Peninsula Scheme II, Lagos, which is claimed by Advance Lincon Limited, a company incorporated in 1999.

— Akinlabi AparaThe company's counsel, describing the disputed property.

The Punch reports that Advance Lincon Limited has held lawful title to the land since it was allocated by the Lagos State Government between 2002 and 2009, culminating in a Certificate of Occupancy in 2014. The firm contends that the newer claimant lacks any valid title, yet state actors, allegedly led by CSP Akerele of the Taskforce, are actively involved in fencing and development works on the disputed property. This situation raises profound questions about due process and the protection of property rights for legitimate business owners.

The land was lawfully allocated to it by the Lagos State Government between 2002 and 2009, with all statutory obligations fulfilled, culminating in the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy in 2014.

— Akinlabi AparaThe company's counsel, detailing the firm's legitimate claim to the land.

The Lagos State High Court's order on March 10, 2026, directing parties to maintain the status quo, was meant to provide a cooling-off period pending legal protocols. However, reports from the site indicate this order has been flagrantly ignored, fueling concerns that state power is being 'weaponized' to dispossess lawful owners. Advance Lincon Limited has initiated contempt proceedings, including serving a Form 48, to address this alleged disregard for judicial authority. The Punch highlights this case as a critical test of the justice system's ability to uphold its orders and protect citizens from potentially arbitrary actions by state agencies.

Particularly troubling are claims that CSP Akerele, acting through the Taskforce, has led operations on the land involving police presence, allegedly supervising activities such as fencing and development works.

— Akinlabi AparaThe company's counsel, alleging the involvement of state actors in the land dispute.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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