Navy Ignores Court Injunction, Continue Development on Contested Site
Navy Ignores Court Injunction, Continue Development on Contested Site
The Nigerian Navy has been accused of defying multiple court orders by continuing construction activities on a disputed land area in the Ibeju-Lekki axis of Lagos State.
The legal conflict involves two separate lawsuits filed by Al-Gasali Global Ventures Limited and the Incorporated Trustees of Lekki Coastal Area Development Association against the Nigerian Navy and the Chief of Naval Staff.
The claimants allege that despite an interim injunction issued by the High Court in August 2024, which was subsequently renewed to maintain the status quo, naval personnel have continued to occupy the land, erect structures, and destroy existing property markers.
The heart of the dispute lies in the ownership of over 375 hectares of land located in the Origanrigan and Oshoroko communities. The local communities claim the land was officially allocated to them by the Lagos State Government as compensation for previous compulsory acquisitions, supported by a Certificate of Occupancy dated June 8, 2014.
However, the plaintiffs allege that naval officers forcefully entered the site in July 2024, intimidating community members and disregarding the legal documentation that establishes the residents’ and investors’ rights to the property.
During recent proceedings at the High Court in Epe, counsel for the plaintiffs expressed frustration over the Navy’s alleged use of force to bypass judicial directives while the case is still pending. Justice Animahun emphasized the importance of preserving the “res” (the subject matter) of the suit to prevent irreparable damage to the land’s original state. Consequently, the court has adjourned the matter until March 2, 2026, to hear the application for an interlocutory injunction aimed at halting all further work until the ownership contest is fully resolved.
