Posted by By TESSY OKOYE on
A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has restrained the Lagos State Physical Development Authority (LASPHYDA) from demolishing two properties at Shogunro LSDPC Estate, Phase 1 Ogba, Ikeja.
A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has restrained the Lagos State Physical Development Authority (LASPHYDA) from demolishing two properties at Shogunro LSDPC Estate, Phase 1 Ogba, Ikeja.
The properties, blocks 10 and 11 had already been marked for demolition before the court granted temporary reprieve for the owners who ran to court to seek redress.
The claimants in the suit include, Mr. Olakunle Longe, Mr. Rufus Orekoya, Mr. Yisau Lawal, Mrs. Taiwo Akanii, Mrs. Lydia Fatiregun, Mrs. Olabisi Kuburat Etti, while Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Abosede Francisco, Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) and the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Olasupo Shasore (SAN) were joined together as defendants.
Justice Candide Johnson granted the interlocutory injunction restraining the defendant from interfering with the two properties pending the determination of the suit after listening to the argument of the claimants counsel, Yinka Olatunji.
The court, before granting the order referred to the exhibits and the supporting affidavit filed and held that the claimants have satisfied the necessary condition for granting such relief.
The court also ordered the claimants to file an undertaking as to possible damages within five days and if it later turned out that the injunction ought not to have been granted. The trial judge has fixed September 30, 2008, for proceedings to begin.
It would be recalled that residents of Shogunro Estate, Ogba were served eviction notice by the Lagos State government, after the ground floor of one of the block of flats sank some months back.
Though the affected block 16 was immediately demolished, residents of the estate felt aggrieved and decried what they described as sharp practices and plans to shortchange their interest by agents of the Lagos State government.They also complained that no alternative accommodation was provided for the 88 families that occupied the block of flats, after being forcefully ejected from their homes.