Confusion as family storms Lagos community with armed team to claim 56 hectares of land, cites 23-year-old judgment
By Ishaya Ibrahim
Confusion broke out in Akowonjo and surrounding areas on Thursday morning after a team of over 300 armed policemen, a DPO, court bailiffs and Omonile stormed several estates to enforce what they said was a 23-year-old court judgment.
Residents woke up to find businesses shut, roads blocked, and notices pasted on properties claiming ownership of large swaths of land in the area.
According to a notice circulated at the scene, the judgment creditors said 56.570 hectares of the community, the equivalent of at least 79 standard football pitches, belong to them under a 2003 High Court judgment.
The notice cited Suit No: ID/1537/90 Alhaji Ashafa Ogundare & 2 Others vs Lababedi Brothers Trading Limited, with judgment delivered on November 26, 2003 by Hon. Justice A. A. Phillips of the Ikeja High Court.
It declared: “All persons on the Claimants/Judgement-Creditor… land without title derived from the said Judgment Creditor Family… are adjudged trespassers and illegal occupiers thereon.”
The notice added that steps had been taken to take “vacant possession of the land in accordance with provisions of the law” and advised affected persons to contact the family attorney.
The affected areas include Santos Phases 1 and 2, Valley Estate, and a long stretch of properties along Akowonjo Road housing banks, eateries, and businesses. Swipha Pharmaceutical Company in Dopemu was also reportedly affected, with staff sent home after the facility was locked.
Eyewitnesses said the team temporarily shut down businesses and sealed banks and hotels including GTBank and De Santos Hotel. The operation caused hours of traffic chaos along Akowonjo Road.
Residents said they were caught off guard by the scale of the enforcement. Many businesses remained closed for hours, while commuters were stranded in gridlock.
TheNiche reached out to the lawyer listed on the notice as counsel to the judgment creditors. When asked why the judgment delivered in 2003 was only being enforced now, 23 years later, he responded: “How would I know?” He further added that the judgment was validated this July, hence the enforcement.
As of press time, the Lagos State Government had not responded to the chaos caused by the enforcement of the 23-year-old judgment.
