Court Strikes Out Suit Challenging Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road Project.
The Federal High Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice Akintayo Aluko, has struck out a lawsuit challenging the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project. The suit, filed by some indigenes of the Okun-Ajah community and other concerned property owners in Lagos State’s Eti-Osa Local Government Area, was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.
Delivering his ruling on 24th March, Justice Aluko ordered that the case, marked FHC/L/CS/1488/2024, be transferred to the Lagos State High Court, which he deemed the appropriate forum for adjudication.
The plaintiffs in the suit, including Chief Saheed Olukosi (Akogun of Okun-Ajah Community) and other representatives of affected property owners, had sought legal intervention to halt the project. They requested the court to set aside alleged acts of encroachment on their lands and restrain government authorities from proceeding with construction on their properties.
The defendants in the case included the Minister of Works, Dr Dave Umahi, the Federal Ministry of Works & Housing, Lagos State government officials, and Hitech Construction Limited.
The defendants, through their legal representatives, argued that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction over the matter. Their preliminary objections, supported by legal submissions, urged the court to either dismiss or strike out the suit.
Justice Aluko, while agreeing with the defendants’ objections, cited Section 22(2) of the Federal High Court Act, which allows cases mistakenly filed in the wrong court to be transferred rather than struck out. He ruled that the Lagos State High Court was the appropriate venue for the dispute and accordingly transferred the case.
This ruling paves the way for further legal proceedings at the state level, while construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road continues amidst legal scrutiny.
