A Lagos High Court, sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, presiding over by Justice Akinkunmi Idowu, has ordered the Lagos Mainland Local Government to hold a reconciliation or deliberation meeting with the aggrieved traders from White Sand Market, Otto, Oyingbo area of the state before the next adjourn date
The honourable court, directed the parties to deliberate on issues of demolition and reconstruction of the market on the land known as White Sand Market, Otto, Oyingbo, Lagos State as the court ordered accelerated hearing of the suit.
It would be recalled that the the plaintiff, the aggrieved traders of White Sand Market, Otto, Oyingbo had through their representatives, Serifat Abeke Than I, Alhaji Garba Malami and Orji Uke Onuoha approached the court over alleged that the Lagos Mainland Local Government is threatening to take over the market from them with aid of demolition and reconstruction of the market.
They filed the suit marked no: LD/70789CM/2022, against the Lagos Mainland Local Government and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice as first and second respondents in the suit.
Justice Idowu had on June 22 granted an interim injunction on a motion ex parte filed by the aggrieved traders, restraining the defendants/respondents and their agents, servants or privies from entering, letting, demolishing and building on the land known as White Sand Market, Otto, Oyingbo, Lagos State during the lifespan of the order which shall be for seven days.
The respondents in the suit affected by the order of the court are: Lagos Mainland Local Government, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice by themselves.
Their motion ex-parte was brought pursuant to Order 42 Rules 1 and 4 and Order 43 of the Lagos State Civil Procedure Rules, Section 1 of the preemptive remedies section of the practice direction No 2 of 2019, and under Section 34, 36, and 43 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court, the claimants/applicants (Sherifat Abeke, Alhaja Garba Malam, Orji Uke Onuoha) through their application dated June 14, 2023 prayed Justice Idowu to issue an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants by themselves, their agents, servants, privies and/or any other person howsover described from entering the land known as White Sand Market, Otto, Oyingbo, Lagos State, pending the determination of the suit.
The court also ordered the council agents, servants, privies and/or any other person howsover described from letting out the land known as White Sand Market, Otto, Oyingbo, Lagos State, pending the determination of this suit and adjourned to September 28 for hearing.
But, at the resumed proceeding today, counsel representing the plaintiffs, Mr Mutiu Quadri and the respondents counsel Mr Tope Kolawole and Ogundare Babatunde announced their appearance, the court said he has read the issue raise in the motion. The parties can meet with the developers and see how possible way of resolving before the next adjourn date.
Justice Idowu therefore adjourned further hearing to October 6, 2023 for the report of the reconciliation.
