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You Can’t Be Law Unto Yourselves! – Falana Slams Lagos, Abuja Governments Over ‘Illegal’ Demolitions
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has condemned the recent wave of demolitions in Lagos and Abuja, describing them as a blatant violation of the rule of law and an assault on judicial authority.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Speaking on Arise Television on Friday, Falana asserted that no governor or minister in Nigeria possesses the constitutional power to demolish any property without first obtaining a valid court order.
He explained that both Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have established Urban and Regional Planning laws, which specify clear procedures for property demolition — including the issuance of statutory notices, proper hearings, and avenues for appeal by affected citizens.
Falana faulted the authorities for carrying out late-night demolitions despite existing court injunctions, calling the actions unconstitutional and illegal.
“No governor or minister has the authority to demolish a house in Nigeria without a court order,” he stressed.
“Under our constitutional framework, you must approach the court to prove that a building violates the law before any demolition can take place. In Abuja, for example, there is a Regional and Urban Planning Tribunal empowered to make such decisions — not the minister. For the minister to carry out demolitions unilaterally is illegal and a breach of due process.”
The senior lawyer decried what he termed “a growing culture of impunity,” noting that despite a subsisting Lagos High Court order restraining the government from demolishing homes in Oworonshoki, state officials went ahead with the operation under the cover of night.
“Certified copies of the court order were duly served on government agencies, yet by Saturday night, bulldozers moved in. When I raised the issue, a senior official arrogantly said, ‘Heavens will not fall.’ Well, we shall see,” Falana recounted.
He disclosed that his chambers had already filed lawsuits on behalf of the affected residents, seeking compensation for the violation of their fundamental rights.
“All the victims are taking legal action. Earlier this year, a court awarded ₦200 million in damages against the FCT authorities for similar demolitions, and just last year, the Lagos State Government was ordered to pay ₦3.5 billion for unlawful property destruction,” he said.
Falana reiterated that government agencies must respect the rule of law and judicial orders, warning that continued defiance would attract both legal and moral consequences.
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