The Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has issued an interim injunction restraining further demolition of residential and commercial properties in parts of Oworonsoki, Lagos Mainland, following complaints from affected residents who insist they were neither compensated nor enumerated before the exercise began.
The order, granted by Hon. Justice A.G. Balogun, directed all respondents including their agents, contractors, or representatives to halt any further demolition or third-party dealings on the disputed properties located along Ojileru Street, Ososa Extension, and Toluwalase Street, all under the Itesiwaju Ajumoni Community Development Area (CDA) of Oworonsoki.
According to the certified court document sighted by reporters, the case, which involves about 30 hectares of land, was adjourned to December 9, 2025, for a report of compliance. The court also ordered that the memorandum of claim and accompanying processes be served on the respondents within 72 hours of the injunction’s issuance.
Residents of the affected streets have denied receiving any form of payment or participating in an official enumeration process allegedly conducted before the demolition.
In a joint statement, they declared “We, the residents of Ojileru Street, Ososa Street, and Toluwalase Street, Oworonsoki, under Itesiwaju Ajumoni CDA, did not collect any compensation from anyone, neither did we fill or enroll in any enumeration form. Our lawyer has served them a High Court injunction to stop further demolition till further notice.”
The residents expressed dismay over what they described as an “unlawful attempt to dispossess them of their ancestral homes” and called on relevant authorities to respect the court’s directive.
The court’s order serves as a temporary relief for the residents, many of whom have been grappling with displacement concerns amid Lagos State’s ongoing urban renewal and waterfront development projects.
The injunction, which remains valid pending compliance with pre-action protocols under the High Court of Lagos State (Expeditious Disposal of Civil Cases) Practice Direction No. 2 of 1999, underscores the legal requirement for due process and stakeholder engagement before demolition or redevelopment activities can proceed.