Barely hours before the inauguration of the incoming Administration, President Muhammad Buhari has directed that the control of Obalende Eid Prayer Ground be returned to the Lagos Jama’atul Muslimeen Council of the Lagos Central Mosque.
In a statement by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Buhari gave the approval based on the report of a Special Committee he set up to investigate and report to him the issues in the conflict between the Lagos Muslim Community and Federal Government Agencies.
Buhari ordered all the government agencies to “recognize and respect the fact that the Obalende Eid Prayer Ground legally belongs to the Jama’atul Muslimeen Council of the Lagos Central Mosque.”
He directed that the “desecration of the Obalende Eid Prayer Ground by its profane use as a dump site should stop with immediate effect” and to this effect, the Dodan Barracks authorities should remove all containers and debris from the prayer ground.
The President also directed that the Dodan Barracks authorities “ensure that the Muslim Communities and their agents have unrestricted access to the Obalende Eid Prayer Ground at all times.”
He advised the Government of Lagos State to, “if deemed fit, (to) grant the Jama’atal Muslimeen Council a Certificate of Occupancy over the area identified in the Survey Plan”.
