‘Where Is the Evidence of Payment?’ Okokomaiko Residents Challenge LAMATA Compensation Claims in Court
…As Retiree Slumps in Court
By Naomi Onome
The legal battle between residents of Okokomaiko and adjoining communities and the Lagos State Government over threatened demolition of their properties took a fresh turn on Friday, October 2, 2026, as the affected residents challenged the legality of the acquisition process, alleged failure to pay adequate compensation and the continued demolition of properties despite a court injunction.
The residents, drawn from Church Estate 1 and 2, Igbeyinadun Community, Jubilee Estate and other adjoining areas, said their homes represented lifetime investments and retirement security and should not be taken without due process.
Counsel to the residents, Barrister Femi Dodo, told the court that the government had failed to establish credible evidence that the affected properties were properly acquired or that compensation had actually been paid.
According to him, there are conflicting notices of acquisition contained in the documents relied upon by the government, while there is allegedly no evidence that the notices were properly served on the affected property owners.
Dodo also challenged the alleged evidence of compensation, arguing that photographs of people shaking hands could not constitute proof that money was paid.
He maintained that evidence of actual payment should include bank transfers, bank drafts, bank tellers or other verifiable financial records showing that the affected owners received compensation.
The lawyer stressed that while government has the right to acquire private property for public purposes, such acquisition must comply with due process and be accompanied by adequate compensation.
“We are not saying that we are against development. We are for development. We are not saying the government does not have the right to acquire people’s property. But my property should not go for public interest without compensation,” he said.
Residents Reject Meeting at Oba Jafo’s Palace
The controversy also took a new dimension over a proposed stakeholders’ meeting on compensation.
According to the residents, some stakeholders from the affected communities were invited to the palace of the Iba of Oniba, Oba Jafo, for discussions concerning compensation.
The residents, however, reportedly refused to attend, questioning why a matter involving LAMATA and the Lagos State Government should be discussed at the palace of a traditional ruler rather than through the appropriate government authorities.
They argued that Oba Jafo was not LAMATA and could therefore not serve as the authority responsible for negotiating or determining compensation for properties being acquired for the project.
Read more: Inside Lagos Land Dispute: Residents Allege Coercion, Court Order Violations by LAMATA, State Govt as Controversy Deepens
The residents and their representatives viewed the arrangement with suspicion, alleging that it could be part of an attempt to pressure property owners into accepting what they described as inadequate compensation.
Dodo, while discussing the matter, alleged that the circumstances surrounding the acquisition and compensation process raised concerns about a possible attempt to dispossess residents of their properties for little or no meaningful compensation.
The residents insist that any compensation process must be transparent, directly handled by the appropriate authorities and supported by verifiable evidence of payment.
Demolitions Allegedly Continue Despite Injunction
The residents further alleged that demolitions and preparatory activities have continued in parts of the affected communities despite a court injunction which they say restrains further action.
Dodo said contractors allegedly linked to LAMATA had continued entering the communities with drilling equipment, sometimes accompanied by security personnel.
He disclosed that contempt proceedings had been initiated over the alleged violation of the court’s orders.
The residents questioned how demolition could continue while the matter remains before the court, insisting that the continued activities have heightened fear and uncertainty among property owners.
They also pointed to about 52 acres of land which they said had already been acquired for the project but remained fallow and largely untouched, questioning why developed residential properties were being targeted when such land was available.
Retiree Slumps in Court
The human cost of the prolonged dispute was dramatically illustrated during an earlier court sitting on September 24, 2026, when an aged retiree among the affected residents reportedly slumped in court after several adjournments.
Dodo said the incident demonstrated the level of distress being experienced by residents who had spent decades working and investing their savings in properties intended to secure their retirement.
He said the elderly man survived the incident, while another affected resident was allegedly battling a debilitating stroke.
According to the lawyer, many of the affected property owners had no alternative retirement plans apart from the homes they built over the years.
The residents therefore fear that demolition without adequate compensation could leave elderly homeowners and families without shelter or financial security.
The residents had previously alleged that some property owners were pressured to sign documents relating to compensation, while claims that certain individuals had already been paid remained difficult to verify.
The Very Rev. Sunday Olugbenga Bello of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Okokomaiko branch, had also disputed claims that the church received compensation, saying documents indicating such payment were inaccurate.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government and LAMATA’s position on the latest allegations was not contained in the material available for this report.
At the October 2 proceedings, the court heard arguments from the parties, including the residents’ challenge to the government’s position on acquisition, compensation and jurisdiction.
The matter was subsequently adjourned for judgment, with the date to be communicated.
For the affected residents, the dispute is not about opposing development but about whether the government can take their homes without strict adherence to due process, adequate compensation and respect for subsisting court orders.
As they await judgment, the residents say they remain determined to protect what they describe as their lifetime investments and retirement security.
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