Court Order Was Served on Lagos Government Before Oworonshoki Demolition, Insists Falana
The law firm of Falana & Falana Chambers has refuted claims by the Lagos State Government that it was not served with a court order halting the ongoing demolition exercise in parts of the Oworonshoki area of Lagos.
In a statement released on Tuesday and signed by counsel Taiwo Olanwanle on behalf of the firm, the chambers clarified that the order was duly issued and served on relevant government officials before the demolitions took place.
According to the firm, “To put the facts in proper perspective, the order was granted on October 23, 2025, and duly served on the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), and the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development before 3 p.m. on Friday, October 24, 2025. All copies were duly acknowledged.”
Falana & Falana Chambers explained that shortly after the documents were delivered, residents of Ajileru Street, Ososa Extension, and Toluwase Extension in the Itesiwaju Ajumoni Community Development Area began calling the firm to report that heavily armed policemen and bulldozers had arrived to begin fresh demolitions despite the subsisting court order.
The statement added that Femi Falana, SAN, personally reached out to senior Lagos government officials, including Mr. Gbolahan Owodunni Oki, former LASBCA General Manager and now Permanent Secretary of the Office of Urban Development, urging them to halt the exercise.
However, the firm alleged that Oki “threatened that the demolition would continue despite the court order and that nothing would happen.”
Falana’s firm maintained that even if the state government claimed ignorance of the court order, it still lacked the legal authority to demolish any property without judicial approval.
“Acting otherwise, as has occurred in this instance, is a manifestation of lawlessness and impunity,” the statement said.
The chambers further cautioned that continued defiance of valid court orders by state authorities undermines public confidence in the judiciary and threatens democratic governance.
“In light of these developments, it is imperative for public officials to respect court decisions, uphold the rule of law, and preserve the integrity of the justice system to prevent anarchy and maintain democratic stability,” the firm concluded.
