Judge rules company lacks jurisdictional grounds and legal standing in challenge over Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway demolition
The Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has dismissed the lawsuit filed by Winhomes Estate Global Services Limited and another claimant against the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, along with four co-defendants. The ruling, delivered on Friday, November 21, 2025, by Justice Akintayo Aluko, struck out the case with costs.
Justice Aluko held that the Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter, noting that the plaintiffs’ claims were rooted in land use and alleged trespass issues outside the scope of the Federal High Court under Section 251 of the Constitution. The judge also ruled that the plaintiffs lacked legal standing, having admitted in their filings that their interest in the disputed land had already been divested and sold to third parties. He further stated that the plaintiffs failed to disclose a reasonable cause of action against the defendants.
Background presented in court showed that Winhomes Estate Global Services Limited had acquired a parcel of land from a community along the Lagos shoreline for development. The company, however, only constructed a gatehouse before demarcating the land into individual plots for sale. The parcel lies along the approved route of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and was marked for demolition after valuation. Despite several stakeholder engagements and an offer of monetary compensation, the company refused to vacate the land, insisting that the Federal Government alter the highway alignment to spare the undeveloped plots.
Following the firm’s refusal to accept compensation and comply with the right-of-way alignment, the Federal Ministry of Works proceeded with the demolition of the gatehouse. Winhomes Estate subsequently filed the suit, which has now been dismissed.
The Ministry of Works stated that the judgement has finally put to rest the sustained campaign of calumny allegedly carried out by Winhomes Estate Global Services Limited against the Minister of Works and certain Ministry officials, both domestically and internationally.
