News
JUST IN: Court strikes out suit against Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road
The Federal High Court in Lagos has declined jurisdiction in a suit challenging the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, striking out the case brought by residents and property owners in the Okun-Ajah community of Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos State.
Justice Akintayo Aluko, in a consolidated ruling on multiple preliminary objections raised by the defendants, held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
Consequently, the case, marked FHC/L/CS/1488/2024, was struck out.
However, the Judge directed that the suit be transferred to the Lagos State High Court, which he deemed the appropriate forum to adjudicate on the issues raised.
The Plaintiffs, Chief Saheed Olukosi (Akogun of Okun-Ajah Community), Noibi Issa Afolayan, Yussuf Odunuga Sulaiman, Olufemi Fasehun, and Adeola Tokunbo filed the suit on behalf of Okun-Ajah residents and affected property owners, seeking to halt the coastal road project over alleged encroachment on their lands.
They asked the court to nullify any construction or planning activity on their properties, alleging unlawful encroachment and trespass.
Among the reliefs sought were orders to invalidate the road designs affecting their land, to restrain the authorities and contractor from continuing construction on the disputed area, and to award damages for the alleged trespass.
The defendants named in the suit include the Honourable Minister of Works, Dr. Dave Umahi; Engineer Olukorede Keisha; the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing; Lagos State Attorney-General; the Lagos Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development; Surveyor-General of Lagos State; General Manager of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority; General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency; and Hitech Construction Limited.
In response, the 1st to 3rd and 9th Defendants filed separate preliminary objections challenging the jurisdiction of the court.
Represented by Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Prof. J.O. Olatoke, SAN; Y.A.H. Ruba, SAN; Roy U. Nwaeze, SAN; and Ibukun Fasoro, they argued that the matter fell outside the purview of the Federal High Court.
The preliminary objections were supported by affidavits, to which the plaintiffs responded with a counter-affidavit.
In his ruling, Justice Aluko upheld the objections, stating that the legal questions raised and the reliefs sought were more appropriately handled by the Lagos State High Court. He ruled in favour of the Defendants, bringing proceedings at the Federal High Court to a close.
“Counsel to the Plaintiffs made an alternative submission in his written address, urging the court not to strike out this suit if the court finds that it lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate over the case.
“Counsel urged the court to transfer this suit to the State High Court, instead of striking out same.
“I agree with Counsel on this request, as this court possesses the needed power and jurisdiction to accede to such prayer.
“This court is fortified under Section 22(2) of the Federal High Court Act, which provides thus: ‘No cause or matter shall be struck out by the court merely on the ground that such cause or matter was taken in the court instead of the High Court of a State or of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in which it ought to have been brought, and the Judge of the court before whom such cause or matter is brought may cause such cause or matter to be transferred to the appropriate High Court of a State or at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in accordance with Rules of Court to be made under Section 44 of this Act.
“The Objections of the 1st-3rd and 9th Defendant/Objectors are therefore, sustained. This court has no jurisdiction to adjudicate over the subject-matter in this case.
“Pursuant to Section 22(2) of the Federal High Court Act, this suit is accordingly transferred to the Lagos State High Court as the appropriate court for adjudication”, Justice Aluko held.
News
ICPC Appoints Okesanjo Resident Consultant for Strategy, Communications
Mrs Okesanjo brings over 16 years of combined experience in the public and private sectors to the role.
•Mrs Temilade Aderemi Okesanjo
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has appointed Mrs Temilade Aderemi Okesanjo as Resident Consultant (Strategy and Communications).
ICPC Spokesperson and Head of Media and Public Communications, Okor Odey,said that the appointment, which takes immediate effect, marks the first time Strategy has been formally integrated into a Resident Consultant portfolio at the Commission, underscoring ICPC’s evolving forward-looking approach to prevention, institutional integrity, and impact-driven governance.
He emphasised that the new role is designed to strengthen the systematic integration of strategy into ICPC’s day-to-day activities, while ensuring that the Commission’s priorities and interventions are clearly articulated and responsibly communicated to stakeholders and the public.
Mrs Okesanjo will support the Commission’s work in two core areas.
On Strategy, she will help ensure that ICPC’s priorities, engagements, and interventions are deliberate, coherent, and fully aligned with its statutory mandate.
On Communications, she will drive clarity, consistency, and credibility in how these priorities are conveyed, with a view to building trust and sustaining public confidence.
Mrs Okesanjo brings over 16 years of combined experience in the public and private sectors to the role.
She began her career in the financial services industry at Ecobank Nigeria before moving into public service, where she served in the Ministry of Transportation as well as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
In 2018, she resigned from the civil service to establish Woodford Consulting Company, through which she has led high-level strategy and implementation advisory engagements for public sector institutions and development-focused organisations.
News
Four beheaded in Ebonyi communal clashes
Local sources linked the attack to a decades-long land dispute between Oso Edda in Edda Local Government Area and Amasiri in Afikpo Local Government Area of the state.
Many residents are feared dead while several others have been abducted following a deadly attack on Okporojo Community in Oso Edda, Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The State Commissioner for Internal Security, Chief Etta Ude, confirmed the incident and said security had been reinforced in the affected area to prevent escalations.
It was gathered that the attack occurred on Thursday, when unidentified armed men stormed the community, shooting sporadically and setting houses ablaze.
Community sources claimed that at least four persons were beheaded during the assault, with the attackers reportedly taking away the severed heads.
Many other residents were said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries, while an unspecified number remain missing.
A viral video circulating on social media showed houses engulfed in flames as distressed residents cried out for help, appealing to the Ebonyi State Government and security agencies to urgently intervene.
Local sources linked the attack to a decades-long land dispute between Oso Edda in Edda Local Government Area and Amasiri in Afikpo Local Government Area of the state.
News
Wike begs court to jail striking FCTA Workers
The substantive matter has been adjourned to March 25, 2026.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has asked the National Industrial Court to commit striking workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to prison for alleged disobedience of a subsisting court order.
The workers resumed their strike despite a January 27 order by Justice
Subilim directing them to suspend industrial action pending determination of a suit filed by the Minister.
To enforce compliance, Wike’s legal team, led by Ogwu Onoja SAN, obtained Form 48 — a “Notice of Consequence of Disobedience of Court Order” — warning the workers they could face contempt proceedings and imprisonment.
The notice, dated January 29, was signed by the Registrar of the Industrial Court, Olajide Balogun.
Justice Subilim had earlier ruled that strikes must halt once disputes are referred to the Industrial Court, citing Section 18(1)(E) of the Trade Disputes Act.
He emphasized that public interest in maintaining industrial peace outweighs any inconvenience caused by suspending strikes.
Despite this, the workers continued their action, arguing they had filed an appeal against the ruling.
Wike’s counsel countered that only an express stay of execution could justify resuming the strike, insisting court orders must be obeyed.
The substantive matter has been adjourned to March 25, 2026.
The strike, which began January 19, has disrupted operations across FCTA Secretariat, departments, agencies, area councils, and parastatals.
The standoff now sets the stage for possible contempt proceedings, as the Industrial Court weighs enforcement of its authority against the workers’ defiance.
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