Pandemonium broke out at the weekend, at the Owutu area of Ikorodu, Lagos State, when officials of Lagos State judiciary, sheriffs, and armed police officers visited the axis to execute a court order for taking over possession of a vast expanse of land.

Sources said the officials arrived the area, which comprised Majidun, Agric, Mechanic village and Owutu, as early as 8.00 a.m., accompanied by owners of the property, and were posting, ‘Possession Taken Today By Order Of Court’ on the walls and gates of buildings undisturbed, until they got to the Mechanic village.

The mechanics were reported to have come out in their numbers to challenge the officials. Frantic efforts by the officials to explain themselves were reportedly rebuffed by the mechanics who insisted they were taken unawares by the order and therefore, were not prepared to vacate the property anytime soon.

A minor argument between them degenerated into fisticuffs during which the mechanics used dangerous weapons, including battery water, on the officials, who had to flee the area.

Gunshots fired into the air by the policemen did not deter the raging mechanics as they chased after the officials. However, a reinforcement of police personnel from the nearby Owutu police division arrived at the scene later, firing teargas and sending the mechanics scampering for safety.

The chairman of the mechanics’ association was taken into custody for questioning while the iron chain used in barricading the gates was destroyed. Reacting, counsel to the Asanjo family, owners of the land in question, Bisi Ademuwagun, told The Guardian that the property had been the subject of litigation since the 60s, adding that both the High, Appeal and Supreme courts ruled in favour of his clients.

Efforts to get the reaction of police spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, were not successful as his phone rang out. He had yet to respond to a text message sent to him as of the time of this report. (The Guardian)