Alleged Impunity and Illegal Demolition: Estate Owners Drag Lagos Physical Planning Ministry, LASBCA Over Contempt Of Court
The controversies over the parcels of land in Alma Beach, Ikate Lagos are yet to abate .Abah Onah, Frank Briggs, Amythorix company Limited and a host of others who own buildings in the area are poised for a renewed legal claim of ownership to the properties situate at Ikate, Lekki area of the state. They recently approached Court of Appeal to commence contempt proceedings against Lagos State Ministry of physical planning and Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA over what they termed ‘ lawlessness, impunity and abuse to the constitutional supremacy of Court decisions “
In an affidavit sworn to at the Court of Appeal on the 17th July, 2024 by Monday Peter an official of Amytorix company, LASBCA was alleged to have rolled in bulldozers into part of their landed property and demolished buildings and assets worth over N 1,000,000,000.00( One billion Naira). He claimed that LASBCA’s action is a direct affront and denigration of the processes of Court and asked the Appeal Court to ensure the sanctity of the judicial process and respect for the rule of law.
“Unless this Court grants this application, the contemnors will continue with the nefarious activities of invading the premises of the Appellant/Application to demolish and destroy the remaining properties’, Peter swore in the affidavit which was sighted by this medium.
Abah Onah and Amytorix company who claim rightful ownership of the landed property described the action by agents of Lagos State Government as Contemptuous of the Court of APPEAL which had heard arguments in Appeal NO: CAL/LAG/CV/172/- Amythorix Company Limited v. Netconstruct Limited
& ANOR.
LASBCA was alleged to have demolished the buildings which according to the owners have approval from appropriate authorities.
Abah Onah told newsmen that LASBCA or its GM acted contrary to subsisting judgments and orders of court in his quest to grab land for his friends – Netconstruct and Afolabi Oseni. He said Gbolahan Oki, General Manager of LASBCA rolled in bull dozers at 10 pm at night with Policemen and thugs on Friday the 12th July 2024 defying the law and pulling down premises worth billions of naira.
Onah added that LASBCA GM threatened to fully demolish the estate notwithstanding the court orders and that no order can restrain him. Stating that he has many excuses as cover to demolish any house he wishes.
At a post demolition meeting called by the SA e-Gis & Urban Development, the supervising ministry of Oki at which they continued the threat and directive for the others to “negotiate “ with their clients Netconstruct & Afolabi Oseni, Netconstruct Lawyer Muiz Banire, SAN announced that a 2022 legal advice by the Lagos state Attorney General endorsed by the Governor being relied on by the Abah Onah and Amythorix was what “consumed” the former attorney General and the new Attorney General was coming up with a favorable report to them! Netconstruct.The now shaken developers became threatened!
According to Onah, “Oki issued further threats at a meeting summoned by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Special Adviser on Urban Planning, Jide Babatunde on the 23rd July with Gbolahan Oki , Afolabi Oseni and his Lawyer Muiz Banire in attendance. The SA clearly in partisanship called Muiz Banire their “ uncle “ in the ministry “ and respect must be given to whom it is due”. This was notwithstanding that Muiz Banire, SAN had argued an application before the Court of Appeal for which a Ruling was pending.
Onah Briggs and Amythorix company who had also petitioned the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu agued that’ “there is complete break down of law and order in government circles” and some persons have hijacked the machinery of government to further their personal interests
Briggs told our correspondent that he is yet to understand reasons for the demolition of his property because according to him, ‘ I was fined 21M Naira for erecting structures without approval sometimes ago and LASBCA GM, Gbolahan Oki gave me an account number of Sterling bank with account number: 0072092193 with account name: Akannistic Ventures into which I was directed to pay the fine which I did and wondered what necessitated the demolition of my property’’.
Last week, on behalf of Abah Ona, Briggs and Amytorix company, Sir Ejeta Otuoniyo a legal practitioner submitted a petition to the Governor of Lagos State alleging Gbolahan Oki, LASBCA GM of giving the government a bad image of not respecting judgments and its process.
Sir Ejeta stated that “we have become astounded and completely alarmed that certain individuals have hijacked government agencies and are running them as gestapo organizations within Government, seeking to cripple commercial activities in the country’s commercial nerve center
“If judgments and commercial contracts suffer colorations of primordial sentiments and disregard, then anarchy and complete collapse, loom”, the famous Lagos based lawyer warned.
In a telephone conversation, the Oki, the LASBCA GM debunked the allegation of the petitioner, noting he has been doing his job and that whoever feels aggrieved is free to approach the court.
Victor Felix, LASBCA media officer told our correspondent that the agency does not collect fines in private accounts and that all fines and levies are paid directly to the government coffers. He denied knowledge of any court summons promising to confirm same from the agency’s legal department but couldn’t respond till the time of filling this report.
