Waterfront Communities: Court To Rule On Otodo Gbame Case June 21

A Lagos High Court in Igbosere on Thursday fixed June 21 for ruling in a suit brought by residents of several waterfront communities against the Lagos State government.

Justice Surajudeen Onigbanjo said he would deliver judgment if the court finds that it has jurisdiction to hear the suit.

The judge stated this after listening to oral addresses of the applicants and respondents’ counsel on the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the case.

The suit was brought last year by 33 applicants suing on behalf of themselves and other residents of settlements including Otodo Gbame, Tomaro, Otumara, Orisunmibare, Oko Agbon, Itun Atan, Sogunro, the Ikorodu communities of Ofin, Bayeku, Olufunke Majidun and the Bariga communities of Ago Egun and Ebute-Ilaje.

Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, the Governor and the Commissioner of Police are the first, second, third and fourth respondents.

Judgment in the suit has stalled since last April 12, when the court suo moto (on its own motion) raised the issue of its jurisdiction.

Addressing the court during proceedings on Thursday, applicants’ counsel, Omotayo Enijiugha, said the matter ought to be for judgment, adding that the respondents were trying to delay the suit.

Enijiugha argued that the appellants’ claim was a fundamental rights’ one which vested the court with jurisdiction to hear the suit.

She said it was “not how the respondent sees the suit” that should determine the court’s view.

“We urge this court to assume jurisdiction. The court has the power to grant the reliefs sought and even more,” Enijiugha added.

Replying, the counsel to the first to third respondents, Adetokunboh Ladega, stated among others that the government’s position on the suit was based on security concerns.

Ladega said, “What Lagos State has been doing is to ensure that the security of the state is not breached.”
She accused the applicants of wanting to cause an “unnecessary delay by asking for an adjournment for judgment.”