Some traders at Lagos Island’s popular Oluwole Market have sued the Lagos State Government and some of its agencies over the demolition of their shops.
The Lagos Merchandise and Traders Association represents the traders, who are seeking N3.4 billion in compensation for what they claim was illegal demolition of their businesses.
The association, acting for itself and on behalf of 169 others, petitioned the Lagos State High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square to declare that the destruction of the kee-klamp they occupied at the Oluwole market was wrongful, illegal, and unconstitutional.
Aside from the association, Babro Ventures Limited and Tosh Limited filed additional claims in the case.
The defendants in the lawsuit are the Lagos State Attorney General, the Lagos State Building Control Agency, the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation, and the Lagos State Urban Renewal Authority.
The claimants stated in a 42-paragraph statement of claim attached to the suit that they had been peacefully occupying the kee klamp and operating their businesses until April 17, 2024, when officials from the Lagos State Building Control Agency threatened to demolish the kee klamp without notice.
The claimants stated that in response to the threat, they instructed their lawyer to send a letter to the defendants dated April 18, 2024, complaining about the threat and requesting that they consider the claimants to be legal occupants.
They argued that demolishing the kee klamp would result in significant hardship and suffering.
The claimants also stated that they followed up on the letter by meeting with the Special Adviser to the Governor on Physical Planning on April 18 and 19, 2024, where they were assured that the demolition would not proceed.
However, they claimed that, to their surprise and disbelief, the kee-klamps were demolished on April 21, 2024, with no chance of reclaiming their goods or other items.
In their suit, the claimants seek several reliefs, including: “a declaration that, by the combined effects of the terms of the judgment in suit No. LD/386/91 and the Letter of Allocation of 269 kee-klamps dated January 9, 2006, the leases granted to the first claimant and its members over the kee-klamps at the Oluwole Kee-klamps Market, Lagos Island, remain valid.”
“A declaration that, pursuant to the fifth defendant’s letter dated June 3, 2006, and subsequent agreement with the second claimant regarding the construction of 91 kee-klamp on the upper decks of Blocks 1, 2, 3, and 4, the second claimant’s lease over the kee-klamp remains valid.
“A declaration that, pursuant to the fifth defendant’s letter dated June 3, 2006, and subsequent agreement with the third claimant to construct 91 kee-klamp on the upper decks of Blocks 7, 8, and 10, the lease granted to the third claimant over the kee-klamp is still in effect.”
“N10,000,000 in damages for each owner of the first claimant’s 269 kee-klamps and their members.
“The second claimant will receive N412,000,000, the third claimant will receive N317,000,000, and the costs of this action will be N5,000,000.”
When the case came up for hearing on Friday, neither the defendants nor their attorneys were present.
“The second claimant will receive N412,000,000, the third claimant will receive N317,000,000, and the costs of this action will be N5,000,000.”
When the case came up for hearing on Friday, neither the defendants nor their attorneys were present.
Silas Ukairo, counsel for the claimants, informed the court that they had been serving the defendants since July.
As a result, Justice Olukayode Ogunjobi adjourned the case until December 6, 2024, and issued hearing notices to the defendants.
