Lagos High Court in Ikeja has reserved ruling in a case by former Deputy Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Chief Edward Ayo-Odugbesan, seeking an order to prevent Agege Local Government and two others from interfering with a property at No. 47 Old Ogba Road, near MKO Abiola Market, Agege, Lagos.
Justice A.M. Lawal reserved ruling after hearing arguments from Dr. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), counsel for the claimants, and Maruf Jimoh-Akogun, representing the defendants.
The claimants, Edward Ayo-Odugbesan, his wife, Adefunmilayo, and Edwards Private School, sued Mr. Kola Ganiyu Egunjobi (chairman of Agege Local Government), the local government, and Registrar of Titles in Lagos State as first to third respondents.
The claimants sought a court order to prevent the defendants from disturbing their possession of the property at No. 47 Old Ogba Road.
During proceedings yesterday, Dr. Pinheiro urged the court to restrain the defendants from interfering with the claimants’ possession until the case is resolved.
He argued that the claimants had occupied the property for over 20 years without interference until the second defendant (Agege council), demolished the property without a court order.
Dr. Pinheiro further noted that the demolition was based on a meeting at the local government and argued that parties must refrain from taking actions that could affect the subject of the litigation while the case is pending.
He reminded the court that once a case is before a competent jurisdiction, actions that could prejudice the final outcome must cease.
Responding, Jimoh-Akogun, counsel for the defendants, argued that by October 3, when the claimants filed Suit No. ID/8582GCM/2024 seeking to preserve the property, the second defendant had already taken possession of the land.
He contended that the land was part of a larger area designated by Lagos State in the 1980s for the proposed Ajangbandu Market, which covered 1.698 hectares.
Jimoh-Akogun further stated that due to the abandonment of the project, trespassers occupied part of the land, leading the Lagos State Government to revoke their occupancy rights in 1996.