Lagos — Over 2000 residents of the Ishefun Community in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State yesterday protested against the demolition of their houses and the re-allocation of their and to politicians and friends of the government. The residents who gave the state government a two week ultimatum to return their lands to them, threatened legal show down after the expiration of the ultimatum.

They started their protest around 10 am at the Ikeja Bus stop, marched through Awolowo Road to the Governor's Office, Alausa, causing a heavy traffic along the ever busy Awolowo Road. The protesters, who carried banners with various inscriptions such as "Fashola return our land, "Ishefun residents are suffering", corrupt officials must be sacked, among others, sang solidarity songs as they marched along the road. Speaking at the entrance to the governor's office, the spokesman for the residents, Barrister Gabriel Ojumah said Governor Babatunde Fashola must the state officials, who sold their land illegally, to return it to them. According to Barr., Ojumah sometimes in 2008, some officials of the state came with security personnels to demolish their houses " and quickly allocated same land to some powerful people in the state, who are friends of the government."

Responding to the protesters on behalf of the governor, a Special Adviser in the governor's office, Mr. Sunny Ajose, assured the residents that Governor Fashola would look into their case. He said the governor may likely summon the Director of Lands Bureau in the state to explain what the agency knows about the case. According to him, the state would take appropriate punitive measures against any official found guilty of any questionable act in the case.