An Abuja-based law firm, Ndarani SAN & Co. Chambers, has condemned the Lagos State government’s alleged unlawful seizure of legally allocated land belonging to private investors for the Lagos-Calabar highway project.
The firm accused the Minister of Works, David Umahi, of violating constitutional property rights under the pretext of executing a federal road project. The Principal Partner, Mohammed Ndarani Mohammed (SAN), in a statement yesterday, described the minister’s actions as “a grave abuse of executive power” and a clear affront to Nigeria’s constitutional order.
According to the firm, the affected land was lawfully acquired by a consortium of investors who complied with all legal requirements, including planning approvals and perfected titles.
The investment, valued at over $250 million, was made in good faith and backed by valid documentation from Lagos State authorities. The firm alleged that the minister unilaterally diverted the originally gazetted alignment of a federal highway by nearly seven kilometres to run through the investors’ land. Subsequently, security personnel demolished already-developed structures worth millions of dollars.
“On May 4, 2025, a second wave of military invasion reportedly occurred when armed men in uniform stormed the site. There is no federal gazette, court order, or legislative authority backing the minister’s claims of ownership over the land.
“This is not just illegality, it is tyranny. Section 1 of the Land Use Act and Section 44(1) of the 1999 Constitution clearly vest land ownership within a state in the hands of the state governor,” Ndarani said.
The firm insisted that these actions constitute a civil wrong and gross human rights violations. “This is no longer just a land dispute. It is a threat to Nigeria’s constitutional federalism and an attack on investor confidence in our country,” the Senior Advocate added.
The law firm urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call the minister to order and publicly reaffirm the Federal Government’s commitment to due process and the rule of law.
It also called on the Attorney-General of the Federation to issue a legal clarification on the constitutional limits of federal power over land in states.
The firm further urged the National Assembly to investigate the alleged abuse of office and misuse of military forces. The Ministry of Works had not offered an official response to the allegations at the time of this statement.
However, Umahi, at a recent stakeholders’ meeting on the project held in Lagos, reaffirmed that due process was followed in the project. He denied unilaterally diverting the highway’s originally gazetted alignment by nearly seven kilometres to run through the investors’ land, stressing that the diversion received the President’s blessing and was done in the country’s best interest.
The minister also said the Federal Government has already paid out N16 billion in compensation to property owners affected by the project. While most payments have been made, a few individuals are still contesting the amounts and have taken legal action. The Ministry of Works confirmed that the payments were made, even exceeding the initial budget, after receiving approval from the President.
“There are ongoing legal challenges related to the compensation amounts, with some cases being heard in state high courts,” he noted.
