Court Nullifies FG's Land Acquisition, Awards N300m Damages

The Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, under Justice Abdulfattah Lawal, ruled against the Federal Government's acquisition of 292 hectares of ancestral land belonging to the Onigbanko Community along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. The court found that the acquisition violated due process and failed to comply with legal requirements for compulsory land acquisition, including the service of statutory notices and payment of compensation.

The court awarded the Onigbanko Community N300 million in damages for trespass and unlawful occupation of the land, along with N12 million in costs for the suit marked ID 5709/2025. The judgment emphasized that the government must adhere strictly to statutory procedures and ensure adequate compensation for land acquired for public purposes, rejecting the defense's claims of lawful acquisition and proving that the land was diverted for private commercial use rather than genuine public benefit.