Residents of Osborne Foreshore Estate have cried for help and the intervention of the government after a developer, Lekki Gardens Estate Ltd, again allegedly blocked the entrance and exit gates of the estate with heavy earth-moving trucks and other construction vehicles.
The action on Wednesday makes it the sixth time such incident will happen within 12 months by the company, completely locking in both residents and visitors to estates as they can neither go out nor can those outside come into the estate.
The Osborne Foreshore Estate 2 Residents Association had, only a week ago, lamented that Lekki Gardens Estate Limited had resumed fully in line with the company’s directive to contractors against court orders.
According to the residents’ association, the latest action by the construction company is a reaction to its decision asking the firm to revalidate the status of its workers.
The association insisted that what they asked for was not out of place “because the Estate has rules and regulations that guide residency and other activities in the estate, which Lekki Gardens Estate Limited has complied with until their latest recalcitrant position.”
The association claimed that the company “is just trying to have its own pound of flesh because it took it to court for flouting estate construction and physical planning regulations in the state.”
The residents have dragged the company to court and Justice Nicholas Oweibo, had on July 9 in his ruling granted an interim injunction, in the suit brought by Osborne and Foreshore Residents Association, restraining Lekki Gardens Estate Ltd and Foreshore Waters Ltd from further work in the estate, while he also adjourned till August 10, for ruling.
In an application, which was moved on Wednesday, July 28, 2021, by counsel to the plaintiff, Adebowale Kamoru, a partner in the chambers of Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, prayed the court to jail Lekki Gardens Estate Limited’s Project Manager, Kehinde Dawodu, for flouting its ruling restraining his company from further constructing, developing, building or embarking on any similar exercise in Osborne Foreshore Estate 2, Ikoyi, Lagos.
They also asked the court for an order directing the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2 Command, “to immediately arrest, detain and produce” before the court any contractors and or workers found on the properties being developed by both respondents within the estate or within Osborne Foreshore Estate II, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Also listed as respondents alongside Lekki Gardens and Nyong are the National Environmental Standard and Regulations Enforcement Agency; Foreshore Waters Ltd and Lagos State Physical Permit Authority.
The defendants in the suit are National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, Lekki Gardens Estate Limited, Foreshore Waters Limited and Lagos State Physical Planning permit Authority.
However, the defendants failed to appear before the court to defend their position on the last hearing and the judge adjourned till July 26, 2021, to appear before it and argue why the interim should not be made permanent.