Tenants of a building located at 118 Apapa Road, Ebute-Metta (West), Lagos, have taken the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) to court for allegedly ignoring a restraining order that was meant to prevent the demolition of their home.
The tenants, including Adebayo Ibraheem, Monsuru Agbalaya, Iwelu Nkechi, Abdullahi Ashiru, Taibat Abdulsallam, and Ibrahim Alao, filed their case at the Lagos State High Court, accusing LASBCA of unlawfully sending police officers to forcefully evict them, even though the court had explicitly instructed that the building should not be touched until certain legal processes were followed.
The tenants claim that LASBCA violated a court order that was meant to ensure that proper legal protocols were adhered to before any action was taken regarding the property. This order was supposed to ensure that no demolition or forceful eviction would take place until LASBCA complied with Lagos State High Court Practice Direction No. 2 of 2019, which outlines specific steps that must be followed in pre-action protocols before such drastic measures can be taken.
“This is a clear case of lawlessness,” one of the tenants, Adebayo Ibraheem, said in a statement. “Despite the restraining order, LASBCA did not only ignore the legal process, they sent police officers to harass and forcefully remove us from our homes.”
The tenants allege that LASBCA issued a contravention notice and a sealing order for the building on December 3, 2024, despite not conducting a proper inspection of the property beforehand. The residents argue that such actions are in direct defiance of the law, which requires that a building be properly assessed before any legal notices are served or enforced.
According to the tenants, they had submitted an application for a restraining order on November 20, requesting that LASBCA be prohibited from proceeding with the demolition until all legal requirements were fulfilled. They argued that the agency had violated the court’s order by not respecting the status quo, which was meant to allow both parties time to resolve the issue legally.
“Instead of following the due process, LASBCA chose to bypass the law and come with force,” said Monsuru Agbalaya, one of the tenants who has lived in the building for several years. “It is not just about the building. It is about the fact that they cannot disregard the law and trample on the rights of ordinary citizens like us.”
The tenants’ action against LASBCA is not just about this particular case. It has brought to light the broader issue of how government agencies sometimes act outside the boundaries of the law, especially in matters relating to demolitions and property rights. In this case, LASBCA’s actions have sparked concerns over the agency’s adherence to legal protocols, and whether the interests of Lagosians are being properly protected.
In their lawsuit, the tenants argue that they were denied basic legal rights, such as being given proper notice and the opportunity to defend themselves before the court. The tenants maintain that the proper legal process requires a thorough inspection before any demolition orders are issued, and that LASBCA failed to meet these requirements.
“We believe that justice will prevail, and the agency will be held accountable for its unlawful actions,” said Iwelu Nkechi, another tenant. “We cannot allow this to happen to us, and we hope this case sends a clear message that no one is above the law, not even government agencies.”
The dispute between the tenants and LASBCA centers around the building’s safety. LASBCA had previously issued a warning that the structure was distressed and posed a risk to the residents. However, the tenants have contested the validity of these claims, arguing that the building had not been thoroughly inspected by the appropriate authorities before the contravention notice was issued. They argue that the sealing of the property was done without the necessary legal foundation.
As the case continues, it highlights the tension between ensuring public safety and protecting individual rights. While LASBCA’s role is to ensure that buildings in Lagos comply with safety standards, tenants argue that due process must be followed to prevent arbitrary actions that could result in the displacement of residents who have legal and residential claims to the property.
Background on LASBCA’s operations shows that the agency is tasked with overseeing building compliance in Lagos State, an area that has seen rapid urban growth in recent years. The agency is often involved in demolitions and the enforcement of building regulations to ensure public safety. However, such actions have sometimes led to disputes between government agencies and residents, especially in cases where proper procedure has not been followed.
