Lagos — Lagos State Citizen's Mediation Centre, an alternative dispute resolution mechanism will tomorrow (Thursday) commence hearing of a petition written by Kaselu Eleki farmers and land holding family of Eleki Village, Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area, Lagos State, against Adiva Company over an alleged destruction of their farmland.

The farmers, through their lawyer, Kayode Bankole, had on January 2010 in a petition demanded N495.6 million as cost of the property destroyed.

Among property allegedly destroyed were plantation of economic crops amongst which were Rubber, Coconut, Kolanut, Iron, wood (meant for railway sleepers), Bamboo and Sugar cane.

Besides, planted in hectares of land were food crops which include Cassava, Maize, Yam, Plantain, Melon and Vegetables among others.

According to their lawyer, the farmers settled on the farmland over four hundred years ago and used the disputed land for farming, dwelling and as hunting ground.

According to the petitioners, located on the land are shrines for the following goddesses, Ota, Ogun, Ohaluaye, Obatala, Osi and Osun.

"Our clients are farmers and constitute a land holding family at Eleki Village along Lagos - Epe Expressway. They have been in exclusive possession and ownership of a large tract of land inherited from their forebearers through inheritance under Yoruba native law and custom (without let or hindrance from anyone or any quarter)."

According to the farmers, they enjoyed the tranquility of their community until sometime in 2006 when some persons operating under the name and style of "Adiva" in the company of a few white-men and about 180 well armed policemen invaded their property and brought bulldozers thereafter to destroy the front part of the property and started constructing a wall fence thereafter. According to the aggrieved farmers, complaints were made to the police authorities and by the time the policemen were withdrawn from the property covering about 224 hectares of land, they discovered to their chagrin that all their crops, plantations, shrines, places of hunting and abodes had been destroyed completely.

They lamented that every effort to remove part of the felled economic trees were resisted by the employees of the invaders.

They said, "It was surprising to note, however, that various buildings at different stages of completion and tarred roads are all being constructed by the invaders. On further enquiry, it was discovered that the police authority has nothing to do with these structures.

"All efforts to get these people who now have buildings and offices on our client property to pay the above stated amount as compensation for the unexhausted improvement of their property prove abortive as they continue to drive our clients off the subject property. Whereas the youths in our clients community have become quite restive spouting for a show down with the invaders."

The petitioners urged the Mediation Centre to intervene in this matter, so that they could obtain justice.

Meanwhile, Lagos State Citizen's Mediation Centre, had through a letter of invitation dated January 28, 2010, directed both parties to appear before it for quick resolution of the dispute.

The Citizens' Mediation Centre is established to ensure that the people of Lagos State have quick access to justice through Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism (i.e. Mediation), a centre interested in resolving dispute amicably at no financial cost to the parties involved.