Lagos Environment, Ministry officials connive with syndicate to violate rights, extort innocent citizens – SLG alleges

A Civil Rights Organization, the Save Lagos Group (SLG) has raised the alarm that officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) under the Ministry of Environment with its Mrs. Serah Amosun
and a syndicate, Alhaja Abass have victimised one Mr. Festus Daramola.

Also, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation has been accused of extortion of motorists by demanding the sum of N100,000 to N250,000 from any Lagosian that happened to be caught for any alleged breach.

The Civil Rights said, their activities at their office located at ShopRite Bus stop have been investigated and discovered that monies extorted from motorists are not remitted to government account, but in pockets of Ministry officials.

In a statement sent to CAPITAL POST by Mr Alimi Sulaiman, Convener of the Organisation on Saturday, he disclosed that a victim who was extorted of N100,000 without receipt cried out to the organisation, saying that the amount was collected from him on Wednesday, 13th April, 2022.

Part of the statement read: “Mr. Daramola of No.4, Odutola Street, Oko-Oba area of Agege, Lagos erected a small kiosk with plywood for business in front of the house of Alhaji Olabode Olaonipeku who rented out the space for Daramola.

“But through the investigation conducted by the group (SLG), it was learnt that the crisis had earlier ensued between a Seventy-Nine (79) year old Alhaji Olaonipekun who is Landlord to Festus Daramola and Alhaja Abass of No.4B, Odutola Street, Emmanuel Bus-Stop, Oko-Oba area of Agege, Lagos because Alhaja Abass wanted to sell the house of Alhaji Olaonipekun without his knowledge by using Mrs. Amosun, the official of the Ministry of Environment by earlier using official of LASEPA under the Agege Zonal office.

“As a result of this, Agege Zonal office of LASEPA issued an invitation letter dated 25th of February, 2022 to Festus Daramola over the erection of kiosk at Alhaji Olaonipekun’s House to come to their office on 28th of February,2022 but when Daramola tendered his side of the story on the kiosk, the Agege Zonal office of LASEPA saw that Daramola did not violate any environmental law and they went back to remove all their Notices pasted on the kiosk.

“But, Alhaja Abass, the syndicate, was not satisfied with the outcome of LASEPA Agege Zonal office on the Kiosk and she was hellbent to sell the house of Seventy-Nine (79) year old Alhaji Olaonipekun, by telling her friend, Mrs. Amosun of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment to contact the State office of LASEPA at Alausa Secretariat where they issued another illegal letter dated 7th Day of April, 2022 on behalf its General Manager, to summon Mr. Festus Daramola to appear in their office on 14th Day of April, 2022, over the kiosk again.

It further alleged Mrs. Serah Amosun of conniving with syndicate (Alhaja Abass) by planning to sell the house of Alhaji Olaonipekun through fraudulent means by writing ‘for sale’ on the said house without the knowledge of the landlord of the house and looking for means to frustrate the Festus Daramola from the present place he put his kiosk.

According to the SLG’s petition letter dated 11th Day of April, 2022 and signed by its Convener, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman and forwarded to the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the State Commissioner for Environment and other concerned authorities, have been called for their immediate intervention on the subject matter.

Recalling that the same officials of LASEPA allegedly connive with a self acclaimed cleric of CAC, Mr. David Alabi with one Wole Oshodi by planning to sell the residential building of Seventy-Five(75)year old widow, Alhaja Ayisatu Alaseela of N0.8, Bakare Opesha, Papa Ashafa Street of Dopemu area of Lagos State illegally, until the intervention of the Lagos State based civil rights group (SLG).

The issue nearly precipitated religious crisis in the community before it later became a subject of litigation in the Magistrate Court of Ogba Magistrate District in a suit N0.SC/69/2021.