Stakeholders in the Okun Ajah area of Lagos State have condemned the total disregard for a court directive following the demolition of hundreds of houses by the Federal Ministry of Works.

Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Lagos had directed all parties involved in a case filed by Winhomes Estate Global Services Limited against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, along with four others, to maintain status quo.

The court issued the directive pending the next sitting when the application before the court will be heard.

Other defendants in the suit include the Minister for Works, the Controller of Works, Lagos; HITECH Construction Company, and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State.

The case is expected to come up for hearing in March.

However, a stakeholder, Femi Adekoya, has decried the continued demolition around the subject matter of the litigation despite the directive by a court of valid jurisdiction.

He also advised the Ministry of Works and the contractors who are handling the project to “respect the rule of law” and “wait for the outcome of the court proceeding.”

It could recalled that WinHomes Global Estate in Okun Ajah, Lagos State, was slated for demolition due to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway diversion, a result of the Federal Ministry of Works’ deviation from the 2006 gazetted alignment.

The plaintiff, Managing Director of WinHomes Global Services, Stella Okengwu, and others have decried the demolition of the estate and demanded adherence to the original 2006 gazetted route.