Hon. Wale Raji promises National Assembly intervention in the Nigerian Army and Iraye Community Land Saga

Idris Olukoya


Hon. Wale Raji, Representing Epe Federal Constituency, in Lagos State, has the intervention of the National Assembly in the ongoing land dispute between the Nigerian Army and the Iraye Community in Epe Division. 

Raji made this known while addressing newsmen in Iraye, on Sunday.

He said that the intervention became necessary to avert any unscrupulous conflict that might ensue between the community people and the Nigerian Army.

The federal lawmaker told newsmen that recently, the people of Iraye community under his watch reported the case of Army encroaching into the community lands unjustly, hence, requires my intervention on the said matter.

Raji assured Iraye residents of swift intervention in settling the land feud.


"I appeal to both parties, the Nigeria Army and Iraye residents to maintain status quo while the National Assembly intervenes to ensure peaceful coexistence of all parties.

"I do not want a repeat of the Epe community clash with Nigeria Army in 1975 again. Therefore, all parties involved should sheath their swords as the matter will be settled in earnest, " he said.

Raji declared that he would bring up the matter in the National Assembly to unravel the issues between both parties involved to avoid unrest. 

Also, Chief Odesegun Anwoju, Baale of Iraye, applauded Hon. Wale Raji for his quick response and swift intervention in the community matter.

"I appreciate our foremost and listening honorable for giving the needed attention to community issues, " he said.

Anwoju appealed to the Nigerian Army to halt encroachment into community lands and maintain the status quo of the lands given to the military by the community.

He added that the Iraye community released over 71 acres of land to the military for their operations, therefore, they should maintain the landscape and stop illegal encroachment of community lands to avoid community clashes.

Similarly, Chief Kazeem Anwoju, a community leader, said that there are documents on the fallout of the land space given to the Nigerian Army in the Iraye neighborhood.

He said that several community leaders in Epe Division had in the past intervened into the Nigerian Army landscape matter and advices them to maintain their land.

He called on the Nigerian Army not to encroach into community lands anymore but maintain their own space.

He, therefore, appealed to both the federal and state government to provide a lasting solution to the issues of the land before its goes out of hand.

Earlier, Mr. Gbenga Ibrahim, a youth leader in the community, narrated his ordeal on his unpalatable experiences with the Nigeria Army at Iraye land.

He said that he and his other residents received the beating of their lives while working on their ongoing construction building at the Iraye site.

"We were tortured, beaten, and molested by the Nigerian Army. They refrained and intimidated us from coming to the land area again, adding that the lands belong to Nigerian Army.

"I appeal to the government to intervene as a matter of urgency before it resulted into community clashes, " he said.

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