BADAGRY DEMOLITION: APPEAL COURT RESERVES JUDGMENT

reserved judgment for a later date after the counsel to the applicants, Adegboruwa and state counsel, Oyenuga, adopted their motion.

It would be recalled that the Badagry residents had earlier approached a Federal High Court sitting Lagos on the same issue.

But Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, in his ruling declared that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain and determine the matter.

The judge noted that the court could not decide on the issue of demolition without considering the issue of title to land, it therefore, lacked jurisdiction.

“Though the applicants sued that their fundamental human rights were infringed but they brought the issue of demolition to the front burner.

“The issue of title to land was also raised by the applicant, the court, therefore, lacks jurisdiction which is important to the determination of this case.

“The case is hereby struck out and no cost is awarded to the respondents,” Buba noted.

In their affidavit, the plaintiffs stated that on December 14, 2013, they received a letter from the police that residents of the area should vacate their houses and land.

According to them, a letter from the Police authority specifically mentioned Agemowo and Agelado Mowo, Badagry, while their own community was at Atiporome, Araromi extension and Mowo Phase 2.

They alleged that on December 16, 2013 at about 4.30 a.m., over 100 armed policemen from the Lagos State Task Force, invaded the community and began to pull down their houses with bulldozers.

“Over 1,500 houses were demolished and a six-month old baby was killed in one of the houses demolished, they claimed.

They also alleged that they were not allowed to take anything from their houses before the demolition and scores of residents and youths were indiscriminately arrested.