A Lagos State High Court sitting in Yaba has restrained the Lagos State Government and four other defendants from taking possession of or interfering with a disputed property belonging to an 80-year-old widow in Lekki Peninsula Scheme I, pending the determination of a motion on notice.

Justice E.O. Ashade granted the interim injunction in favour of Chief H.A.K. Shonowo, who instituted the suit on behalf of herself and the estate of her late husband, Chief Owodiran Olusoga Shonowo.

The defendants in the case are the Lagos State Government, the Attorney-General of Lagos State, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Gary Sanusi and Dillon Consultants Nigeria Limited.

The claimant, represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Babatunde Oni, urged the court to preserve the property, arguing that the defendants’ actions had caused her hardship and threatened her ownership rights.

The disputed property comprises 11 four-bedroom terrace houses, three three-bedroom flats, one two-bedroom flat and a commercial shop built on about 4,000/4,300 square metres of land located at Block 113, Plot Health Centre, Lekki Peninsula Scheme I, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.

In his ruling, Justice Ashade held that the claimant had established sufficient grounds for the grant of the interim order.

The court noted that parties involved in a pending case must refrain from taking actions capable of affecting the court’s jurisdiction or prejudicing the outcome of the matter.

Consequently, the judge restrained the defendants, their agents, representatives or privies from taking possession of, transferring, reassigning or interfering with the claimant’s possession and ownership rights over the property pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

The court also barred the fourth and fifth defendants from handing over the disputed property to any other person until the application before the court is determined.

As part of the conditions attached to the injunction, the court directed the claimant to file an undertaking in the sum of N1 million to indemnify the defendants should it later be established that the interim order ought not to have been granted.

Court documents revealed that the claimant and her late husband were jointly allocated the original parcel of land measuring about 7,312.865 square metres in 1996 under a Certificate of Occupancy issued by the Lagos State Government.

According to the claimant, the government revoked the Certificate of Occupancy in October 2020 but later reallocated about 4,000 square metres of the land to her in May 2021 following an appeal. A subsequent survey reportedly placed the land size at approximately 4,300 square metres.

She stated that she thereafter entered into a joint venture agreement with the fourth and fifth defendants to develop the property.

Under the agreement, the developers were expected to construct 22 four-bedroom terrace houses, six three-bedroom flats and two two-bedroom flats, with the claimant entitled to 11 terrace houses, three flats, one two-bedroom apartment and a commercial shop.

The widow alleged that although construction commenced in 2021 and her allocated units were expected to be delivered by August 2023, the developers repeatedly failed to hand over the completed properties despite several demands.

She further claimed that in March 2026 she was informed through WhatsApp that the Lagos State Government intended to take over the reallocated land.

The claimant insisted she had no contractual relationship with the Lagos State Government, the Attorney-General or the Governor, maintaining that her agreement was solely with the private developers.

Justice Ashade adjourned the case until July 9, 2026, for the hearing of the motion on notice.

The post Court Stops Lagos Govt From Taking Over 80-Year-Old Widow’s Lekki Property appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

……Federal High Court issues Form 48, threatens contempt proceedings

A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a strong warning to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the commission’s alleged refusal to comply with a judgment ordering the immediate release of 27 properties earlier seized on suspicion of being linked to proceeds of crime.

The warning, contained in a Form 48 (Notice of Consequences of Disobedience of Court Order), was issued on Tuesday by the court’s Registrar and addressed directly to the EFCC Chairman. The document, sighted by The Punch on Wednesday, cautions the anti-graft chief that continued non-compliance may amount to contempt of court.

The notice reads in part:
“Take notice that unless you obey the direction contained in the order of the Federal High Court made on 31st October 2025, which ordered you to immediately release the property documents to the property owners/respondents in suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/348/2025, you will be guilty of contempt of court.”

It further stated that despite being served with the judgment, the EFCC had failed to release the title documents to the owners as of Tuesday, December 2, 2025.

Background of the Property Dispute

The EFCC had obtained an interim forfeiture order for the 27 houses on March 13, following claims that they were linked to illicit funds. The court ordered that the interim order be published within 14 days to allow interested parties to contest the forfeiture.

Subsequently, James Ikechukwu Okwete, his company Jamec West African Limited, and Adebukunola Iyabode Oladapo filed objections, asserting ownership of the properties.

On October 31, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered judgment in their favour, vacating the interim forfeiture order and dismissing the EFCC’s application for permanent forfeiture. The court ruled that the claimants had successfully demonstrated legitimate ownership.

Justice Abdulmalik affirmed:
“I firmly find that the property owner/respondent’s affidavit to show cause has merit.”

The judge also upheld Oladapo’s claim to House No. 12, Fandriana Close, Wuse 2, Abuja.

Counsel Accuses EFCC of Defiance

Counsel to Okwete and Jamec Ltd, Serekowei Larry (SAN), wrote to the EFCC Chairman on November 27, alleging deliberate refusal to obey the judgment.

Larry stated that officials of the court’s Enforcement Unit visited the EFCC office on November 26 to execute the order, but the agency declined to release the documents.

“In any regime, talk less of a democracy, it will be the height of it if judgments of the court are blatantly disobeyed,” the letter warned.

The lawyer added that his clients expect prompt compliance from the EFCC before further legal steps are taken.

The post Court Warns EFCC Chairman Over Alleged Disobedience of Order to Release 27 Seized Houses appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has condemned the recent demolition of buildings in Oworonshoki, Lagos, describing the action as a violation of the Constitution and a subsisting court order.

Speaking on Arise Television on Friday, Falana said the demolitions, which took place at midnight last Saturday, ignored a restraining order issued by the Lagos State High Court. He noted that the order had been duly served on relevant government agencies before the operation began.

“The court granted an order stopping further demolitions until the matter is heard. By Friday, certified copies were served, yet by Saturday night, bulldozers invaded Oworonshoki,” Falana said.

“When I contacted an official, he told me, ‘We are going to do it, and heaven will not fall.’ That shows total contempt for the rule of law.”

Falana cited Section 43 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees every Nigerian the right to own property anywhere in the country, as well as Article 14 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which upholds similar protections.

He argued that no governor or minister has the authority to order demolitions without a court ruling, stressing that only a competent court or legally constituted tribunal can authorise such actions.

“No executive officer can unilaterally declare a property illegal and demolish it. Due process must be followed,” he said.

The Lagos State Government, however, denied violating any court order. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the operation targeted illegal structures on drainage channels and road setbacks as part of the state’s urban renewal and flood prevention efforts.

Omotoso maintained that the exercise was aimed at restoring environmental integrity and that the government would not willfully disobey a valid court order.

The demolitions, which affected the Coker and Ojulari communities, occurred hours after the government had promised to compensate displaced residents.

Legal experts have since urged the state to balance its urban development initiatives with citizens’ constitutional rights to property and fair hearing.

The post Falana Condemns Lagos Demolitions, Accuses State of Defying Court Order appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has accused the Lagos State Government of demolishing over 100 properties in Oworonsoki despite a valid court order halting the exercise.

Justice Adegboyega Balogun of the Lagos High Court had last Thursday granted an interim injunction restraining the government, its agents, and contractors from further demolitions or creating third-party interests in parts of the Itesiwaju Ajumoni CDA, including Ojileru Street, Ososa Extension, and Toluwalase Street.

Despite the ruling, Falana said the government went ahead with the demolitions, displacing several families. “In flagrant breach of the subsisting order, the defendants mobilised over 50 armed policemen and thugs, who fired teargas through the night to disperse protesters before commencing a fresh demolition,” he stated.

He described the action as a “sad reminder” of the 1986 Supreme Court case Military Governor of Lagos State v. Ojukwu, where the court condemned government defiance of judicial authority even under military rule.

Quoting the late Justice Obaseki, Falana reiterated that no government should resort to self-help when a matter is before a court, saying, “In a nation governed by the rule of law, self-help by force must be abandoned.”

The post Falana Accuses Lagos Govt of Defying Court Order, Demolishing 100 Oworonsoki Properties appeared first on Housing TV Africa.