A land dispute has escalated in Lagos as Winhomes Estate Global Services Ltd. and its Managing Director, Ifeoma Okengwu, have sued Hitech Construction Company Ltd., the Minister of Works and Housing, David Umahi, and the Lagos State Government over alleged encroachment and demolition on an 18.838-hectare parcel of land in Okun-Ajah, Eti-Osa.
The suit, filed at the Lagos State High Court, seeks an injunction to stop further entry on the land pending compliance with the Lagos High Court Pre-Action Protocol. The action was instituted by the company, its MD, and purchasers within the estate. Their counsel is Lookman Fagbemi SAN.
In an affidavit sworn to by Abdullahi Mohammed, the applicants said the land is covered by Certificate of Occupancy No. 72, page 72, volume 2006AC, dated December 1, 2006. They stated that the Lagos State Government had issued a Right-of-Way clearance confirming the land is outside the alignment of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road.
Despite this, the applicants alleged that construction workers and government officials entered the land with soldiers, operatives of the Governor’s Office Task Force, thugs, and personnel of the Federal Ministry of Works. They claimed that buildings were demolished and construction equipment moved in without any statutory acquisition or notice as required under the Land Use Act.
They also alleged that parts of the land were marked for a proposed train station even though no revocation or compensation notice was issued.
The affidavit stated that signboards, halogen lights powered by generators and armed mobile policemen were deployed to secure the area. The applicants described the actions as trespass and an attempt to dispossess them.
In their memorandum of claim, which has been served on the Attorney-General of the Federation, the applicants are asking the court to affirm their ownership of the land and to declare that only they are entitled to obtain Governor’s consent over it.
They are also seeking N500 million in general damages for trespass, N200 million as litigation costs, and post-judgment interest at 20 percent until full payment.
