Court stops Lagos from taking over 2 Ikoyi towers

Justice Adewunmi Oshin sitting at a Lagos State High Court has restrained the Lagos State government from taking over and demolishing the remaining two Ikoyi buildings constructed by Fourscore Heights Limited whose CEO Femi Osibona died when a part of the buildings collapsed in November 2021.

The court ordered all parties in the suit to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of a suit filed by 15 subscribers of the various units of flats/penthouses/terraces/apartments being constructed in three high-rise buildings.

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Out of the three high-rise buildings (namely Blocks A, B, and C), one of them, Block B (consisting of 21-storeys) collapsed in November 2021, killing 46 persons while 15 persons were rescued alive.

In the substantive suit, the subscribers are seeking general damages of N200 million and another N50 million as the cost of filing the suit.

 The claimants, in the suit filed by their lawyer AbdulHakeem Mustapha (SAN), are contending that it is the failure of the Lagos State government and its officials to supervise the construction of one of the three towers in line with regulations that led to its eventual collapse.

They claimed that they invested over N15 billion in the property that was being developed by Fourscore Heights Limited, which was promoted by Mr Osibona.

Apart from the state government, other defendants are the Attorney-General of Lagos, the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), and Edge of Design Limited.

The claimants are asking the court for a declaration that the first to fourth defendants were negligent in the performance of their duties by failing and/or neglecting to supervise the construction of one of the three towers.

In a ruling delivered on the issue, Justice Oshin also ordered the applicants to serve on the defendants in the suit all necessary papers, so that the court can proceed to hear the matter on its merit.