Justice Ganiu Aliu Safari of a Lagos High Court sitting in Badore, Ajah has granted an injunction restraining the execution of the judgement on the large expanse of land in the Eyin-Osa, Epe community in the Free Trade Zone in Lagos State.
The presiding judge also ordered the respondents, who are the judgement creditor, the Ottun Family and the Lagos State Government “to maintain status quo, pending the determination of the suit at the Court of Appeal.
Justice Aliu Safari had earlier in 2023 in a matter with the Suit No. LD/8916/2014 between Moshood Olushola Ottun & 1 other and the Governor of Lagos State & 3 others set aside a Certificate of Occupancy No. 33/33/2022F dated 17/12/2021, issued by the Lagos State Government.
Not satisfied with the judgement of the lower court, the Lagos State Government approached the Court of Appeal, where the case is still pending, to upturn the decision of the lower court.
The Lagos State Government went further to return to the Lagos High Court of Justice, sitting in Badore and presided over by Honourable Justice Ganiu Aliu Safari for “An order of injunction, pending appeal, restraining the claimants, respondents from enforcing, implementing or taking any further step or giving any effect to the judgement of this honourable court, delivered on the 14th of December 2023 between the parties herein until final determination of the appeal.”
The government also asked for “An order that the parties in the suit maintain status quo, pending the determination of the appeal filed by the Defendants/Applicants.”
Also “And for such further order(s)or other orders as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.”
Justice Aliu Safari ruled that “Consequently, the application of the Defendant/Applicant is hereby granted and it therefore ordered as follows: An Order of Injunction is hereby granted restraining the Claimant/Respondents from enforcing, implementing or taking any further step or giving any effect to the Judgement of this Honorable Court delivered on the 14th of December, 2023 between the parties herein pending the final determination of the Appeal filed by the Defendants/Applicants in this Suit ”
“It is hereby ordered that the parties in this suit maintain Status Quo existing before the Judgment of this Court delivered on 14th December, 2023 pending the determination of the Appeal filed by the Defendants/Applicants in this suit.”
The Eyin-Osa Resettlement Committee, while speaking on the ruling by the High Court judge said, “We hereby urge the general public to stop all transactions with the Ottun Family regarding any sale, lease or alienation of interest on the said Land at Eyin-Osa, Epe Local Government, Lagos State based on the said judgement which can not be given any effect until the hearing and determination of the Appeal.
The committee also insisted that “The Ottun Family cannot convey, assign and/transfer Title to any third party in view of the Order of Injunction against the said.
The committee also explained that “The Certificate of Occupancy No. 33/33/2022F dated 17/12/2021 granted by the Lagos State Government to the Eyin Osa Zone of the Resettlement Committee in respect of the property lying, being and situated at Eyin Osa and covered by Survey Plan No. LS/D/BK425/D&E is thus still valid, extant and subsisting.”
