Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road: Court advises parties to maintain status quo

• as CSOs stage protest against Minister of Works

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi and presided over by Honourable Justice A. Aluko has advised the two parties in a suit over the Lagos–Calabar Expressway realignment to maintain the status quo.

This development comes as a coalition of Civil Society Organisations, again on Thursday, stormed the Federal High Court in Ikoyi to protest the non-payment of compensation and what they described as the illegal realignment of the road project.

The case is between the Foreign Investors Network of Nigeria and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the Honourable Minister of Works, David Umahi, the Controller of Works, Lagos, and Hi-Tech Construction Company.

ALSO READ: Coastal road dispute: Foreign Investors Network slams $250m lawsuit on Umahi 

The plaintiff, which is the umbrella body of Nigerian investors whose properties were demolished following the realignment of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway in the Okun Ajah area of Lagos State, is seeking justice for their investments.

During Thursday’s sitting, the aggrieved investors prayed the court to grant an injunction restraining the defendants and their agents from carrying out further demolition of their properties, a significant portion of which had already been demolished.

Justice Aluko, however, refused to make any official pronouncement on the prayers of the plaintiffs but advised both parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the suit.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Valerian Nwadike, while speaking to journalists after the sitting, said:
“The matter came up for the first time today, and all parties were represented in court.

“My Lord did not make an official announcement or an order. My Lord gave an admonition to all parties to maintain the status quo, not to destroy the res, so there won’t be any more further admonitions.

“And that parties should take steps not to hamper the subject matter of the suit. So I don’t want to comment further, because the matter is already before the court, and we respect whatever My Lord says.”

Meanwhile, hundreds of members of Civil Society Organisations stormed the court to protest what they described as injustice against the victims of the demolition.

Armed with placards bearing inscriptions such as “$250 million gone – Is this renewed hope?”, “Release the abducted Obanla”, “David Umahi, your road is paved with injustice”, and “Mr President, we are not against Coastal Road, but we are victims of impunity stripped of justice,” the protesters expressed outrage at the treatment of the affected property owners.

One of the coalition leaders, Shina Loremikan, speaking during the protest, said, “We are delighted that our issue is before the court, and we want the court to critically look at this issue.”

He continued: “What you are paying a property owner of an acre of land—is it the same as what you are paying a property owner of a three-bedroom flat? Or a property owner of a duplex? This is the 21st century.

We need to do things the way they should be done so that we can further encourage foreign investment.”

He warned: “Traditional cultural values like this intimidate people and make them feel that instead of coming to Nigeria, they should look elsewhere.

So many other countries are competing for investments—namely, Ghana, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco. If we continue like this under the excuse of providing infrastructure, and people do not even understand the basics of that infrastructure, we will continue to have problems.”

Another lawyer, Tahir Daramola, also stated that the Federal Government did not fulfil all the legal requirements to acquire the land from the investors, who, according to him, had invested over $250 million (two hundred and fifty million dollars).

ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE