Court Stops Lagos Government from Taking Over 80-Year-Old Widow's Lekki Property
Court Preserves Status Quo in High-Value Lekki Land Dispute
A Lagos State High Court has restrained the Lagos State Government from taking possession of a disputed property belonging to an 80-year-old widow in Lekki Peninsula Scheme I, pending the hearing of a substantive application before the court. The interim order preserves the status quo in a dispute involving land ownership, property rights and an ongoing residential development in one of Lagos' prime real estate corridors.
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Justice E.O. Ashade granted the interim injunction following an application filed by Chief H.A.K. Shonowo, who is suing on her own behalf and on behalf of the estate of her late husband, Chief Owodiran Olusoga Shonowo. The defendants include the Lagos State Government, the Attorney-General of Lagos State, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Gary Sanusi and Dillon Consultants Nigeria Limited.
Court Preserves Property Pending Hearing
The court restrained the defendants, their representatives and agents from taking possession of, transferring, reassigning or interfering with the claimant's alleged rights over the property until the motion on notice is determined.
Justice Ashade held that the claimant had presented sufficient grounds to warrant the interim relief, adding that parties involved in ongoing litigation should refrain from actions capable of affecting the court's jurisdiction or frustrating the determination of the substantive suit.
As part of the conditions attached to the order, the court directed the claimant to file an undertaking in the sum of ₦1 million to indemnify the defendants should it later be determined that the injunction ought not to have been granted.
Dispute Centres on Prime Lekki Development
Court documents show that the disputed property sits on approximately 4,000 to 4,300 square metres at Block 113, Plot Health Centre, Lekki Peninsula Scheme I, Eti-Osa Local Government Area.
The claimant stated that she and her late husband originally received a Certificate of Occupancy for a larger parcel of land measuring about 7,312.865 square metres in 1996. According to the court filings, the Lagos State Government revoked the right of occupancy in October 2020 before subsequently reallocating approximately 4,000 square metres of the land to the claimant in May 2021 following an appeal. A later survey reportedly measured the parcel at approximately 4,300 square metres.
Joint Venture Led to Residential Development
Following the reallocation, the claimant entered into a joint venture agreement with private developers to construct a residential estate on the site.
Under the agreement, the development comprised 22 four-bedroom terrace houses, six three-bedroom flats and two two-bedroom flats. The claimant said she was entitled to 11 four-bedroom terrace houses, three three-bedroom flats, one two-bedroom flat and a commercial shop, while the remaining units would belong to the developers.
According to the claimant, construction commenced in 2021, with delivery of her allocated units expected by August 2023. However, she alleged that the developers repeatedly delayed handing over the completed properties before informing her in March 2026 that the Lagos State Government intended to take over the reallocated land.
Property Rights and Investment Confidence
The case highlights the importance of legal certainty in land administration and property ownership, particularly in high-value urban locations such as Lekki.
For investors and developers, judicial intervention to preserve disputed assets pending the determination of ownership claims reinforces the role of the courts in protecting property rights while ensuring that disputes are resolved through due legal process. Clear land administration and predictable dispute resolution mechanisms remain essential to maintaining confidence in Nigeria's real estate market.
Next Hearing Scheduled
The Lagos State High Court adjourned the matter to 9 July 2026 for the hearing of the motion on notice.
The outcome of the substantive proceedings is expected to determine the ownership and possession rights over the Lekki property, with potential implications for the parties involved and for wider discussions around land administration and real estate investment in Lagos.
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