Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has strongly condemned the Lagos State Government for allegedly violating a court order by demolishing houses in Oworonshoki, Lagos.
According to Falana, the demolition, which reportedly took place in the dead of night, affected over 100 properties, leaving several families displaced. He emphasized that no court ever authorized the demolition, calling it a direct act of contempt against the judiciary.
The controversy stems from an earlier ruling by Justice Adegboyega Balogun of the Lagos State High Court, who issued a restraining order halting all demolitions and third-party activities on properties located on Ojileru Street, Ososa Extension, and Toluwalase Street in the Itesiwaju Ajumoni CDA. The order followed complaints by residents who claimed they were never compensated.
In a statement issued Sunday, Falana accused the state government of defying the court order even after it was formally served. “They mobilized over 50 armed policemen and thugs who fired teargas throughout the night to disperse residents and went ahead with the demolition,” he said.
Falana likened the act to the infamous Ojukwu case of 1986, where the Supreme Court condemned the Lagos Government for similar disregard of judicial authority. “It is disheartening that nearly four decades later, history is repeating itself — this time in a supposed democracy,” he lamented.
The demolitions have sparked outrage among human rights groups and affected residents, who are demanding accountability and the enforcement of the restraining order.
