By Abiola Olawale
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has condemned the Lagos State Government for allegedly carrying out a midnight demolition of over 100 homes in the Oworonshoki area, despite a court injunction that was served to restrain the action.
Falana accused state officials of “gross contempt and flagrant disobedience” of a valid court order, describing the alleged midnight operation as an act of lawlessness that undermines Nigeria’s democratic and judicial systems.
According to a statement issued by Falana, Justice A.G. Balogun of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, had granted an interim order on Thursday, October 23, 2025.
He claimed that the injunction restrained the Lagos State Government, the Commissioner for Physical Planning, and the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) from conducting further demolitions in Ojileru Street, Ososa Extension, and Toluwalase Street within the Itesiwaju Ajumoni Community Development Area (CDA) in Oworonshoki.
Falana also claimed the court order, which was “duly served” on the defendants the following day, was brazenly ignored as the state government mobilised over 50 armed policemen and thugs to the area late at night.
Falana said: “In flagrant breach and contempt of the subsisting court order and upon the service of the court order on them, the defendants mobilized over 50 armed policemen and thugs who fired teargas throughout the night to disperse those protesting the demolition and proceeded to commence a fresh demolition.
“The demolition, which was carried out in the dead of the night, has led to the destruction of not less than 100 properties with many families displaced. The action of the demolition squad was not authorised by any court.
“In the area where the rule of law operates, the rule of self-help by force is abandoned. Nigeria, being one of the countries in the world, even in the third world, which proclaims loudly to follow the rule of law, there is no room for the rule of self-help by force to operate.
“Once a dispute has arisen between a person and the government or authority and the dispute has been brought before the court, thereby invoking the judicial powers of the state. It is the duty of the government to allow the law to take its course or allow the legal and judicial process to run its full course.”
