Group condemns Lagos gov’t over invasion of ex-minister Porbeni’s Lekki property

A civil society organisation, Good Governance Alliance – Nigeria (GGA-N), has raised the alarm over the alleged breach of a Federal High Court order by the Lagos State government on Friday morning when its officials invaded a disputed property located in Lekki area of the state and belonging to former Minister of Transportation, Admiral Festus Porbeni (Rtd).

The group said the action of the Lagos State government’s officials was a recipe for lawlessness and chaos, calling on the Chief of Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to act immediately and stop what it called illegality.

A statement signed by Nathaniel Obasi, on behalf of GGA-N on Friday, noted that the disputed property was previously invaded in 2021.

Obasi claimed that at about 7:30am this Friday, officials from the Lagos State Special Task Force, illegally forced their way into Admiral Porbeni’s property at Wole Olateju Crescent, Lekki, despite the Federal High Court order, which barred any agent from entering the premises or harassing any person at the premises.

It added the Lagos State Special Task Force accompanied by heavily-armed mobile policemen, beat up, arrested and threw staff and other people met on the property into a police vehicle called ‘Black Maria’, which they brought “for the illegal raid”. “The officials who cordoned off the area are now threatening to bulldoze all structures on the property, in brazen breach of the Federal High Court order (FHC/L/CS/1384/21).

“The actions of the Task Force is also in disregard of the landmark ruling of the Supreme Court in January which affirmed the federal government’s exclusive control of the country’s inland waterways and all lands within 100 meters of all declared federal waterways in Nigeria.

“The question is despite Admiral Porbeni being in possession of a Federal Certificate of Occupancy (CofO), how is the Lagos State Government allowed to flout not only an injunction from the Federal High Court but also a ruling from the Supreme Court?

“The Lagos state government’s brazen disobedience of court orders is a recipe for lawlessness and chaos. We draw the urgent attention of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Inspector General of Police, the Governor of Lagos State and relevant federal government agencies in charge of federal waterways in the country to the illegal raid and occupation by the Lagos State Special Task Force,” Obasi stated.