The Federal High Court in Lagos, Nigeria has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to halt the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, ruling that it lacks jurisdiction over the matter.
The suit was filed by some indigenes of the Okun-Ajah community and other affected property owners in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos State. The plaintiffs, including Chief Saheed Olukosi (Akogun of Okun-Ajah Community), Noibi Issa Afolayan, Yussuf Odunuga Sulaiman, Olufemi Fasehun, and Adeola Tokunbo, sought to stop the project, arguing that it encroached on their lands.
The defendants in the case included Minister of Works Dave Umahi, the Federal Ministry of Works & Housing, the Attorney General of Lagos State, and Hitech Construction Limited, among others. The plaintiffs sought an order to nullify the alleged encroachment, halt further work on the disputed land, and award damages for trespassing.
However, the defendants, through their legal representatives, filed preliminary objections, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case. Delivering his ruling, Justice Akintayo Aluko upheld the objections and declared that the Federal High Court had no jurisdiction over the dispute.
Rather than striking out the case, the judge invoked Section 22(2) of the Federal High Court Act, which allows the transfer of cases to the appropriate court. He ordered that the matter be moved to the Lagos State High Court for adjudication.
The ruling clears a legal hurdle for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project, a major infrastructure initiative aimed at boosting regional connectivity. However, the case remains active at the state level, where the plaintiffs may continue their legal challenge.
