Calabar Coastal Highway: Court Throws Out Winhomes’ Case Against FG

The Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday struck out a suit filed by Winhomes Estate Global Services Limited and another claimant against the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, alongside four other defendants.

THE WHISTLER recalls that the dispute arose from a parcel of land along the Lagos shoreline, originally acquired by Winhomes Estate for development.

The company reportedly constructed only a gatehouse before demarcating the land into plots and selling them to buyers.

The land later fell within the alignment of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and was marked for demolition following valuation.

Despite engagements with the Federal Ministry of Works and an offer of monetary compensation, the firm allegedly refused to relinquish the property and instead urged the ministry to alter the highway’s design to spare the undeveloped plots.

The ministry, however, declined and subsequently demolished the gatehouse, prompting Winhomes to approach the court.

A statement issued by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Works, Mohammed A. Ahmed, in Abuja, stated that Justice Akintayo Aluko held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

He ruled that the plaintiffs’ claims were rooted in land use and alleged trespass, issues outside the purview of the Federal High Court under Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution.

Justice Aluko further ruled that the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to institute the action, having admitted in their filings that their interest in the disputed land had been sold to third parties.

He averred that the claimants failed to disclose a reasonable cause of action against the defendants.

The court dismissed the suit and awarded costs against the plaintiffs.