A civil society group, Human Rights and Grassroots Development Society (HRGDS), has applauded the intervention of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in the ongoing Lekki waterfront property dispute.
In a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Femi Akanbi, the group faulted the alleged escalating campaign of misinformation, media manipulation and unwarranted assaults on the integrity of the courts following its ruling on the matter.
Akanbi said the four-page decision delivered by Justice Uthman Musa, directing all parties to maintain the status quo, and mandating the police to secure the disputed property, was lawful, measured and firmly rooted in established legal principles.
According to him, the order barring all parties from accessing the property was issued strictly to preserve the subject matter of the dispute and prevent further illegality pending the determination of the substantive suit.
“It is reckless, misleading and legally indefensible for any individual or organisation to suggest that the court acted outside its constitutional powers or deliberately targeted innocent parties”, Akanbi said.
The rights group, therefore, warned that direct or indirect attacks on judicial officers will amount to a dangerous attempt to pressure the courts through orchestrated public agitation and media propaganda.
For public clarification, Akanbi noted that the applicant, Mr Henry Ugonna Orabuchi, only exercised his constitutionally guaranteed right to approach a court of competent jurisdiction for redress, and that such action should not attract hostility or intimidation.
Backing the court’s intervention, the group said courts exist precisely to step in when competing claims, alleged irregularities or disputes risk escalating into disorder or causing irreparable damage.
HRGDS expressed concern over a growing pattern of attacks on the judiciary whenever lawful court orders do not align with certain private interests, alleging that some media organisations reporting factual developments on the matter had also been threatened.
“Such conduct raises grave concerns about contempt of court and deliberate efforts to erode public confidence in the justice system”, the statement read.
Akanbi emphasised that disagreement with a court order does not confer a licence to malign judges, incite public sentiment or orchestrate smear campaigns, warning that such actions strike at the core of democracy and the rule of law.
The group also urged individuals and organisations involved in the dispute to immediately desist from further attacks on the judiciary while relevant oversight bodies and law enforcement agencies investigate acts that can constitute judicial intimidation or contempt of court.
It also advised the public to disregard sensational narratives, rely on verifiable facts and allow the courts to discharge their constitutional responsibilities without fear or interference.
The dispute arose from a suit filed by Orabuchi against the Nigeria Police Force, Inspector-General of Police, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Magaji K. Mohammed (Head, IGP Monitoring Unit), SP Abigail Patrick, Emecheta Elvis Eze and the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development.
Justice Musa ordered all parties to maintain the status quo over the property identified as Plot A, block 12, Lekki Peninsula Scheme, including the reclaimed land measuring about 3,000 square metres, pending the determination of the suit.
The court further directed the police to secure the site to prevent damage and ordered all relevant registering authorities to place caveats on the property, suspending any form of transaction until the matter is resolved
