Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has accused the Lagos State Government of “gross contempt” and “flagrant disobedience of a valid court order” following fresh midnight demolitions in the Oworonshoki area of Lagos, despite a restraining order issued by a High Court.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Falana revealed that Justice A.G. Balogun of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja had on October 23, 2025, granted an interim injunction restraining the Lagos State Government, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, and the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) from continuing the demolition of buildings in Ajileru Street, Ososa Extension, and Toluwalase Extension within the Itesiwaju Ajumoni Community Development Area, Oworonshoki.
Falana said the order was “duly served” on the government agencies on October 24, yet security operatives and demolition squads allegedly returned under the cover of darkness to continue demolishing homes.
SPIRITUAL SOLUTION THAT WORKS.. Are you in need of spiritual guidance about your life?
Do you need a complete spiritual check-up to balance your spiritual life, your Dreams and your spiritual suspicious?.. Look no further!… Consult With Trusted A highly experienced spiritual guide.
DR ADAMS ADAM. Will Guide you to achieve Success, Wealth, Healing Possessions and protection, bręakthrough. Spiritual power, healing & cleansing, Peaceful relationship. Get our naturcl Male Enhancement to Improved your libido, sexual performance and Enhanced fertility. Our spiritual check-up program will reveal the hidden secrets about your Life and solution.. For spiritual consultation and counseling. ON MATTERS OF THE MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT. Call or WhatsApp: 0 7 0 6 2 1 5 6 8 3 4.. With god All things.. LOCATED AT “ABUJA, LAGOS, OSUN
“In brazen contempt of the subsisting court order, the defendants mobilised over 50 armed policemen and thugs firing teargas throughout the night to disperse residents protesting the demolition, and then proceeded to commence a fresh round of destruction,” Falana stated.
Residents and eyewitnesses confirmed that more than 70 to 100 structures were razed, rendering hundreds of families homeless — including elderly persons, pregnant women, and children.
“They came at about 1 am. No notice. We were told the court stopped everything. Suddenly we heard machines. We ran out with only what we were wearing,” a shocked resident, who identified herself as Adenike, recounted.
Another resident, Mr. Adewale, described the demolition as “inhumane and lawless,” saying many families slept on the streets after their houses were reduced to rubble.
Security operatives reportedly used teargas in Miyaki and Ojeleru areas to force residents away as bulldozers advanced.
“We’re not just losing our homes, we’re losing our livelihoods and our sense of community,” a displaced landlord lamented.
In Suit No. ID/9910GCM/2025, Justice Balogun ordered the state government and its agencies — including their “servants, agents, privies and contractors” — to halt all demolitions pending compliance with the Pre-Action Protocol for Land Matters.
The matter was adjourned to December 9, 2025, for a compliance report.
Legal representatives for the affected landlords said the continued demolition “is a clear act of contempt,” adding that formal contempt proceedings would be filed against those responsible.
Referencing the famous 1986 Supreme Court case —Military Governor of Lagos State & Ors v. Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu— Falana warned that the government was reliving an era where the rule of force trumped the rule of law, even under military rule.
“Once a dispute has been brought before a court, it is the duty of the government to allow the legal process to run its full course,” he quoted from the judgment by Justice Andrew Otutu Obaseki.
He said the Lagos government’s actions undermine democracy and public confidence in the judiciary.
The Lagos State House of Assembly had reportedly directed that the exercise be suspended, yet government agents allegedly pushed ahead.
Human rights organisations and civil society groups have condemned the demolition, noting that Lagos already suffers an acute housing shortage — worsened now by the loss of more than 7,000 housing units to demolitions in the state this year alone.
The once-bustling Itesiwaju Ajumoni community has now been reduced to ruins, with residents sifting through debris in search of salvageable belongings.
Landlords and tenants alike are pleading with state and federal authorities to enforce the court’s order and provide humanitarian assistance.
“We need justice. We need help. We need somewhere to sleep,” a resident said tearfully.
Falana called on the Lagos State Government to immediately obey the court and halt further demolitions, stressing that “no democratic government survives by treating its own courts with contempt.”