Featured Politics News

Hazzard caused by surge in idotun community

*** TASKS LASG ON RELOCATION OF AFFECTED COMMUNITIES 

Residents of Idotun Community in Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State, have  called on the government to come to their aid as the  ongoing construction of Lekki deep seaport and dredging in  the sea carried out by Dangote Refinery has rendered them homeless.

The residents said that the surge had destroyed some houses in the community orth millions of  naira.

“We are using this medium to call on international community, federal government of nigeria and Lagos State government to quickly come to our aid as we are unable to have access to 375 hectares of land allocated to some of the community that have given their land to investors which Idotun community is one them.

“The most painful aspect, there is no where to relocate to because they have sold the 375 hectares allocated to the community.

“However, we, hope that Mr  Babajide  Sanwoolu, Lagos State Governor will summon Lekki coastal resettlement committee and assist us to retrieve the said 375 hectares of land for resettlement purpose.

“For more details on 375 hectares,find attached publication made by  Permanent Secretary of commerce industry & cooperative,” they said.

According to them, development is said to come with advancement, employment opportunity, community growth, rural turns urban, and many other positive effects.

“These were the yarn and the motive behind the easy release of our land ( inheritance) to the government for the expected turn around. We heard that the new economic hub of our nation is here in Lekki Local Council and Idotun/ ltoke in particular,” the community said.

We were actually having it hard to farm and at a point couldn’t farm when our landed piece that was left was further taken all in the name of economic advancement. We saw the establishment of power oil, dufil, Dano, Kellog, and the Dangote refining and polymers company, and the father of them all, the deep seaport.

Our dilemma, commenced the day the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Professor Yemi Osibajo did the ground turning of the seaport. This faithful day was supposed to be a day of joy but it turned out to be the most regretted day in our corridor.

Since the event, we have been running from one disaster to the other.

Disasters encountered

  1. The upsurge of the ocean. The ocean that was initially about 250 meters away from the beach and coconuts and about 100m away from the community had not only surged in but destroyed all coconuts and claimed over 100 houses. Pictorial evidence is attached.
  2. Many house owners had been rendered homeless. 

The incident had turned many house owners into wanderers because their building had been taken over by the surged ocean. This invariably affected properties in millions of naira. The risk involved could only be best imagined, as the families had to share their children all around to neighbors and families to accommodate

  1. Corpses reburied: 

Since the event, over 200 dead corpses had been reburied and this had called for several rituals as some of the corpses were not meant to be carried into the community but the upsurge had turned things. The taboo of burying a drown person in the community had been causing a lot of unimaginable happening like poxes, missing children, and communal discomfort hence the sacrifices done to appeal the gods

  1. Lost source of livelihood

It is not a gainsaying that our primary occupation is fishing and farming but since the commencement of the free zone we lost our farming operation and concentrated on fishing but now the surge had not only stopped our fishing but took away our nets and boat. This has caused us a lot of devastation.

Unrest

Since the upsurge, our lifestyle had changed most especially those of us having buildings close to the shore because the event is not pre informing before it cause its havoc. We sleep with our eyes and ears open. We are Always awake to move anytime we hear of its action. This had cause trauma, insomnia, and heart attack to many with.

On efforts made, the community said they had been to the local government secretariat on several occasions requesting help with even the free zone representatives in attendance.

These meetings only brought palliative of sandbags pilling which lasted for a week and the employment of beach guard to warn anyone going along the beach or help to rescue the drowning.

Protest

Having considered the unproductive nature of our call for help, we wrote to the divisional police officer of Akodo police station of our protest to the seaport office peacefully. This was done several without confrontation or damage to properties or humanity. Our gesture was expected to be applauded for immediate help but we only saw a visit without commensurate action.

Donations

To assist those affected by the upsurge and keep the community at peace, the community raised over 2m naira to

  1. Performed rituals to appeals to the gods because of the effect of the taboo and avert the consequential effect on the community
  2. Gave financial support to the affected to pack and raise shed to stay pending the time better assistance would come. This we do not make our people vulnerable.
  3. Engagement of a health officer to keep a regular check on the affected so as to manage the trauma experienced and keep them in tune. A counselor and medical officer were engaged to do these.
  4. Going to media houses to call for publicity of our predicament. This we believe will give voice to our cry and make people come to our aid.

Our prayers.

To salvage us from this destructive and devastating calamity, we are pleading for;

  1. The most painful aspect, there is no where to relocate to because they have sold the 375 hectares allocated to the community.
  2. We call on international community, Federal Government of Nigeria and Lagos State government to quickly come to our aid as we are unable to have access to 375 hectares of land allocated to some of the community that have given their land to investors which Idotun community is one them.
  3. Sand filling of the seashore as done in Nikki to stop the wreckage and calamity ongoing in our communities
  4. Assist the affected individuals in giving building so that their lives will not remain miserable
  5. Reimburse the community. Due to this upsurge, all that the community had has been spent to salvage the situation. More so, that the source of living of some people had been carted away. The net and boat for fishing

Your earnest and empathic action to our cry will not be undermined or forgotten in a rush. This we ask to be done fast and soonest to save and save the people and the community.

Development was said to come with advancement, employment opportunity, community growth, rural turns urban, and many other positive effects. These were the yarn and the motive behind the easy release of our land ( inheritance) to the government for the expected turn around. We heard that the new economic hub of our nation is here in lekki local council and idotun/ ltoke in particular.

We were actually having it hard to farm and at a point couldn’t farm when our landed piece that was left was further taken all in the name of economic advancement. We saw the establishment of power oil, dufil, Dano, Kellog, and the Dangote refining and polymers company, and the father of them all, the deep seaport.

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