In a statement released yesterday, Falana criticized the state government for defying multiple court rulings that had explicitly prohibited such demolitions, accusing the administration of exhibiting executive impunity.
According to Falana, the Lagos High Court ruled on June 22, 2017, that government-ordered evictions which displaced over 30,000 Nigerians were illegal and unconstitutional. Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo (now retired) determined that residents’ rights had been violated and awarded N3.5 million in damages to the claimants.
The court also prohibited future evictions, potentially protecting an estimated 270,000 residents from losing their waterfront homes. The judgment directed state authorities to engage affected communities in discussions about resettlement plans as part of any urban renewal initiative.