Bridgeways Global Projects Ltd Vs. Lagos State Govt: Court Orders Maintenance Of Status Quo

 

PAUL NWOSU 

The case filed by Bridgeways Global Projects Ltd against the Lagos State Government and its Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development came up before Justice Mathias Dawodu at the Ikeja High Court.

 

Bridgeways is suing the state government over the unlawful termination of its concession agreement for the development of the ICT Business Park, Katangowa.

 

When the matter was called, counsel representing the respondents offered the bizarre excuse that they could not locate the case file due to their office relocation. This was despite Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN), leading a team of lawyers for Bridgeways, informing the court that his team was fully prepared to proceed.

 

Dr. Banire urged the court to give the matter urgent attention, stressing that his client had been subjected to slander, harassment by law enforcement agencies, and the forceful takeover of the Katangowa site by agents of the Lagos State Government.

 

In response, Justice Dawodu ordered all parties to maintain the status quo ante pending the determination of the substantive suit. The case was adjourned to December 9, 2025, for the hearing of the originating summons.

 

The agreement between Bridgeways and the Lagos State Government envisages that either party may, at some point, decide to terminate the contractual relationship. It also contains clear clauses detailing the procedure for such termination. Bridgeways and its legal team are therefore asking the court to compel Lagos State Government to comply with the multi-level dispute resolution mechanism in the Concession Agreement which they failed to comply with in their purported termination.

 

It is important to recall that on February 12, 2024, Justice L.A.M. Folami had earlier granted an order restraining the Lagos State Government and its agents from terminating the contract with Bridgeways and from “entering into or taking over the project including the temporary market built and currently managed by the claimant (Bridgeways), for which the claimant has received no compensation”.

 

Despite this subsisting order, agents of the Lagos State Government allegedly invaded the Katangowa site, detained Bridgeways staff for four days without food or water, and forcely took over the project including the company’s properties, machineries and equipment.