Residents of the Abomiti Zone in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State staged a peaceful protest on Friday against ongoing illegal sand mining activities on their land, which was allocated to them by the Lagos State Government as part of a resettlement plan.
According to The PUNCH, the community, which received 239 hectares of land at Ilamija in 2019 following the takeover of their ancestral land for the Lekki Free Trade Zone, holds a Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) numbered 96/96/2021F, issued in 2021. Despite this legal backing, residents say their land has been under siege from suspected land grabbers and illegal dredgers.
“We are being invaded by unknown individuals who are mining sand from our land without any approval or consultation,” said Ayodele Yaya, Chairman of Abomiti Zone, Parcel B. “This land is our compensation from the government, and it is protected by law. We cannot sit back while it is destroyed.”
Traditional leaders, community members, and youth joined the protest, carrying placards with messages such as “Stop illegal mining on our C-of-O land!” and “Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, come to our aid.”
The Baale of Imogo Kekere, Bola Olanihun, lamented that despite writing multiple letters to the state government, no action had been taken. “These activities threaten our environment and our way of life. We’ve tried to resolve this peacefully, but nothing has changed,” he said.
Another traditional ruler, Omoyemi Ayeola, Baale of Aba Oyinbo, added, “They are scooping sand like the land belongs to them. We’ve begged, we’ve warned, but the illegal mining continues.”
Seriki Mutiu, Baale of Arala-Afowotera, noted the environmental and structural damage being caused. “Over 100 trucks have entered our land to take sand. It’s making it hard for us to build. We never gave permission. The government must intervene urgently.”
During the protest, a police van was seen blocking access to the community to stop at least 12 trucks attempting to leave with excavated sand. Protesters reportedly seized the truck keys before the matter was taken to the police station.
A senior Lagos State Government official who preferred to remain anonymous confirmed awareness of the situation. “Illegal mining is a serious matter. It affects not only the environment but also the economy and the safety of the people,” he said, adding that he would look into whether the state had received any of the community’s letters.
The community has called on the state to enforce its land policies and protect the resettled area from further encroachment.
