Lagos Court Halts Broad Street Property Demolition Amid Ownership Dispute
A Lagos State High Court has stepped into an escalating property dispute on Broad Street, ordering an immediate halt to further demolition and construction at the contested premises located at 168 Broad Street, Lagos Island.
The intervention followed a 48-hour quit notice issued by the Lagos Island Local Government directing occupiers to vacate the property and remove containers and structures described by the council as illegal.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya granted a pre-emptive order intended to preserve the property while the parties pursue the required legal processes surrounding the dispute.
The case was brought before the court by Dr. Abimbola Adebowale, who claims ownership of the property and alleges that parts of the premises had already been demolished before Taiwo Ige Yusuf allegedly took possession and began preparations for development.
According to court filings, the Lagos Island Local Government issued an enforcement notice dated August 6, 2026, signed by Ojora A.O. on behalf of the Council Engineer.
The council reportedly gave occupiers 48 hours to vacate and remove what it described as illegal structures, warning that failure to comply could trigger enforcement action under applicable laws and regulations.
However, the enforcement exercise subsequently became entangled in the wider ownership dispute.
Adebowale alleged that tenants were forcefully removed from the premises and parts of the structure demolished before the property was barricaded with aluminium zinc.
She further alleged that the barricading of the premises was part of preparations for additional demolition and construction.
Concerned that continued activity on the land could fundamentally alter the property before the dispute was resolved, the applicant approached the Lagos State High Court seeking urgent protection.
An 11-paragraph affidavit filed in support of the application by Babatunde Bello, a staff member of United Capital Trustee Limited, stated that the company had managed the Broad Street property since 2016 without disturbance until the recent alleged encroachment.
The court’s decision effectively freezes further physical alteration of the disputed property for the time being, preventing additional demolition or construction while the legal processes continue.
The development brings renewed attention to the use of enforcement notices in Lagos property disputes and the role of the courts in preserving disputed assets where competing ownership or possession claims have yet to be determined.
The substantive dispute is expected to provide an opportunity for the respective parties to present their claims and supporting documents before the court.
