The law firm of Falana & Falana Chambers has refuted claims by the Attorney-General of Lagos State that neither he nor any agency of the state government was served with a valid court order before the recent demolition exercise in Ajileru Street, Ososa Extension, and Toluwase Extension within the Itesiwaju Ajumoni Community Development area of Oworonshoki, Lagos State.

In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by Taiwo Olanwanle, counsel to the firm, Falana & Falana Chambers stated that the Lagos State Government was duly served with the court order restraining further demolition of buildings in the affected areas.

“To set the record straight, the order was given on the 23rd day of October 2025. The enrolled order was served on the office of the Honourable Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of Lagos State, the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, and the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, respectively, before 3 p.m. on Friday, 24th of October 2025, with duly acknowledged copies,” the statement read.

The firm disclosed that despite receiving the order, the state proceeded with demolitions the same day. “After some hours of serving the court order, our office phone lines were inundated with calls from residents informing us that over 50 armed policemen with heavy-duty vehicles were already stationed around the location to commence a fresh demolition,” the statement added.

According to the firm, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, made direct calls to senior government officials, including Mr. Gbolahan Owodunni Oki, the former General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and current Permanent Secretary, Office of Urban Development, urging compliance with the court’s directive.

However, the firm alleged that Mr. Oki bluntly refused, threatening that the demolition exercise would continue despite the restraining order. “Mr. Oki threatened that the demolition would continue despite the court order and ‘nothing would happen’,” the statement said.

Falana & Falana described the continued demolition in the face of a valid court order as an act of lawlessness and impunity, stressing that even if the government was unaware of the order, it still lacked the legal power to demolish any property without court approval.

“Assuming without conceding that the Lagos State Government was unaware of the order, they lack the power to demolish any property in Lagos State without a court sanction. Doing otherwise, as in this occasion, amounts to lawlessness and impunity,” the firm noted.

The law firm called on the Lagos State Government and its officials to respect judicial authority, warning that failure to comply with valid court orders could erode public confidence in governance and lead to anarchy.

“In view of the foregoing, there is a need for state actors to submit to court orders, uphold the rule of law, and safeguard democratic stability to maintain the integrity of the justice system,” the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, Falana & Falana Chambers has written to the Attorney-General of Lagos State and the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, proposing a meeting on November 13, 2025, to seek an amicable resolution to the ongoing dispute.

A notice of the claimants’ intention to commence legal action against the government was also attached to the letter.

The claimants, represented by Falana & Falana Chambers, are the Itesiwaju Ajumoni Community Development Association of Oworonshoki, whose members have consistently alleged that their homes were unlawfully demolished despite the existence of a restraining court order.