Residents and stakeholders in Lekki estates have faulted the action of Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) regarding the handling of the receivership case involving Victory Park Estate on the Lekki Peninsula, Lagos.
The residents, under the aegis of Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA) which embodies all estates, communities and facilities from 1004 Estate up to Epe, contended that AMCOM could not be judge and prosecutor in its own case, more so as it violates court orders at will.
LERSA’s position was contained in a statement issued by the association and made available to BusinessDay in Lagos last week. It was signed by James Emadoye, the president of LERSA.
Emadoye, who led a delegation of LERSA members to Victory Park Estate on a fact finding mission, wondered why AMCON, a creation of government, would not obey court ruling and decided to move to the estate to harass innocent citizens.
He recalled that the harassment started just few days after a Lagos State High Court presided over by Honourable Justice Jos declared unconstitutional the provisions of Section 34(6) of the AMCON Amendment Act No. 2.
Emadoye called for immediate intervention of Lagos State and federal governments, stating that the country’s developmental dreams would continue to be a mirage until “the big and mighty allow the laws of the land to take effect and all Nigerian citizens are subject to the laws of the land.”
“We wish to draw the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, chairman of AMCON, Muiz Banire and the managing director of AMCON, Lawan Kuru to the plight of the people,” he said.
Continuing, he said, “we are Nigerian citizens and we surely deserve the protection of the government. We cannot allow anybody to undermine the law of the land; in the matters of Victory Park Estate and other similar matters, we deserve the protection of the constitution of the land; we deserve the protection of our elected custodian of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
LERSA also called on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to immediately direct men of the Nigeria Police not to allow themselves to be used by AMCON and their Receiver Manager, Lanre Olaoluwa, to disturb the peace of the residents and property owners of Victory Park Estate.
Emadoye lamented the plight of residents and landlords at the estate who invested their hard-earned money into premium real estate and now risk losing the product of their sweat to what he called “some spurious claims” from AMCON.
Addressing the leadership of the Victory Park Estate Owners & Residents Association, he noted that injury to one was injury to all and promised that LERSA would not relent until the residents and owners of Victory Park Estate got justice.
The LERSA Vice President, O.P.A Ladega, also condemned the impunity being displayed by the Receiver Manager, pleading with the state and federal governments to call AMCON to order and to desist from further harassment and persecution of the legitimate residents and owners of the Victory Park Estate.
The chairman of Victory Park Estate Residents Association, Godfrey Efeurhobo, thanked the visiting LERSA team and promised that they would remain law-abiding and steadfast in the defence of their legitimate properties. He expressed gratitude to fellow Lagosians and other Nigerians from far and near; for the immense show of support and encouragement.
Source: businessdayng
