How Lagos Govt Violated Court Order, Demolished 100 Properties In Oworonshoki – Falana

Falana

Human rights lawyer and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has accused the Lagos State Government of demolishing at least 100 properties in Oworonsoki despite a restraining order from the court.

Last Thursday, Justice Adegboyega Balogun of the Lagos State High Court issued an interim order stopping further demolition of properties in parts of Oworonsoki, following complaints by affected residents who denied receiving any compensation.

The judge granted the restraining order against the respondents and their agents or contractors from carrying out further demolitions or creating third-party interests over properties located on Ojileru Street, Ososa Extension, and Toluwalase Street within the Itesiwaju Ajumoni Community Development Area (CDA).

However, the state government reportedly carried out the demolition, a situation Falana frowned at.

In a statement on Sunday, the senior lawyer said the recent demolition exercise has led many families to be displaced.

“In flagrant breach and contempt of the subsisting court order and upon the service of the court order on them, the defendants mobilised over 50 armed policemen and thugs who fired teargas throughout the night to disperse those protesting the demolition and proceeded to commence a fresh demolition,” the statement read.

“The demolition, which was carried out in the dead of the night, has led to the destruction of not less than 100 properties, with many families displaced. The action of the demolition squad was not authorised by any court.

“The action of the demolished squad is a sad reminder of the aggravated contempt committed by the Lagos State Government, 39 years ago, in the celebrated case of The Military Governor of Lagos State & Ors. v. Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu & Anor. (1986) 2 NWLR (PT 18) 621, where the Supreme Court set a precedent against disregard for due process and the rule of law.

“Notwithstanding that the country was then under a military junta,  the Supreme Court deprecated the action of the Lagos State Government in defying a court order and resorting to self-help.”

Falana argued that, “For making a mockery of the rule of law, Obaseki JSC of blessed memory had this to say:

“In the area where the rule of law operates, the rule of self-help by force is abandoned. Nigeria, being one of the countries in the world, even in the third world, which proclaims loudly to follow the rule of law, there is no room for the rule of self-help by force to operate.

“Once a dispute has arisen between a person and the government or authority, and the dispute has been brought before the court, thereby invoking the judicial powers of the state, it is the duty of the government to allow the law to take its course or allow the legal and judicial process to run its full course.”