A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi and presided over by Hon Justice A. Aluko, has advised the two parties in a suit over Lagos – Calabar Expressway realignment to maintain status quo.
P.M.EXPRESS reports just as a coalition of Civil Society Organizations again on Thursday invaded the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, protesting the non-payment of compensations and what they described as illegal realignment.
The matter is between Foreign Investors Network of Nigeria against Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Honourable Minister of Works ,David Umahi, Controller of Works Lagos and HiTech Construction Company.
The plaintiff, which is the umbrella body of Nigerian investors, whose properties were demolished following the realignment of the Lagos – Calabar Coastal Highway in the Okun Ajah area of Lagos State, who are seeking justice over their investments.
The aggrieved investors had during the Thursday sitting, prayed the judge to grant an injunction restraining the defendant and their agent from further demolition of their properties after a large part of it had already been demolished.
Justice Akintayo, though, refused to make any official pronouncement on the prayers of the plaintiffs, advised them and the defendants to maintain status quo pending the determination of the suit.
Counsel to the plaintiff ,Valerian Nwadike, while speaking with journalists after the sitting said, “The matter came up for the first time today, and all parties were represented in court”.
“My lord did not make an official announcement or an order. My lord gave an admonition to all parties to maintain status quo, not to destroy the rest so there won’t be any more further admonitions.”
“And that parties should take steps not to hamper the subject matter of the suit. So I don’t want to comment further, because the matter is already before the court, and we respect whatever my lord says.”
Meanwhile, hundreds of members of the Civil Society Organizations stormed the court to protest against what they described as injustice against the victims of the demolition.
Armed with placards with inscriptions such as ” $250 million gone Is this Renewed Hope? Release the abducted Obanla, David Umahi, your road is pavide with injustice, Mr. President ,we are not against Coastal Road but we are victims of impunity, who are stripped of Justice.
One of the leaders of the coalition, Shina Loremikan, while speaking during the protest said, “We are delighted that our issue is before the court and we want the court to critically look at this issue”.
He continued, “What are you paying a property owner of an acre of land? Is it the same thing that you are paying a property owner of a three-bedroom flat? And a property owner of a duplex? And we are saying this is 21st century”.
“We need to do things the way it should be done so that we can further encourage foreign investments.”
He warned, “Traditional cultural values like this intimidate people and they feel instead of coming to Nigeria, let me look elsewhere”.
“So many other countries are competing for investments, namely: Ghana, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco. If we continue like this under the excuse that we are providing infrastructure for people and they don’t know the ABC of that infrastructure, we’ll be having problems like X, Y, Z.”
Another lawyer, Tahir Daramola, also stated that the Federal Government did not fulfil all the requirements to acquire the land from the investors, who according to him invested over $250 000 million (Two hundred and fifty million dollars).