The Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Winhomes Estate Global Services Ltd. against the Attorney-General of the Federation and four others.
The suit, filed by the company and its Chief Executive Officer, Ifeoma Okengwu, sought to stop the Federal Ministry of Works from using a portion of land claimed by Winhomes for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project. The plaintiffs also demanded $250 million in damages.
Justice Akintayo Aluko, who presided over the case (FHC/L/CS/1803/2024), ruled that Winhomes had already sold or transferred its interest in the land to third parties, and therefore, lacked the legal standing to pursue the matter.
The court further held that it lacked jurisdiction, explaining that the plaintiffs’ claims, which cantered on land use and alleged trespass, fell outside the powers granted under Section 251 of the Constitution. The judge added that the company failed to establish a reasonable cause of action against the defendants.
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Winhomes had acquired the parcel of land from a local community along the Lagos shoreline, which falls within the path of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. The Ministry of Works had planned the land for demolition following valuation for the highway project. However, the company had refused to relinquish the plots, demanding that the highway’s design be altered to avoid the undeveloped land.
Following the judgment, the Ministry of Works stated that the ruling settled ongoing disputes and halted what it described as campaigns of misinformation against the Minister, Sen. Dave Umahi, and other ministry officials.
The decision reinforces the authority of the Federal Ministry of Works to proceed with infrastructure projects while clarifying the legal limitations for third-party claims on land already transferred to others.
