Property owners in Ebute-Metta, Lagos State, are seeking compensation from the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) for the forced acquisition of their homes to develop rail infrastructure in 2018. Five families from Adisa Estate, located along Murtala Muhammed Way, Ebute-Metta, were displaced and subsequently approached the Federal High Court in Lagos in 2019, seeking redress for the unlawful seizure of their properties.
The affected homeowners, including Oba Akinola Ovetade Akinrera, Alhaja Aisha Aminu Gwadabe, Alhaja Sadiat Abduiazeez, Mr Justin Ajufo, and Mr Ayodele Joseph Ojo, were awarded N10 million in damages by Justice Y. Bogoro on May 9, 2023. The court ruled that the NRC’s acquisition of the properties for the construction of its Ebute-Metta station violated due process, infringing on the applicants’ constitutional rights under the 1999 Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
According to court records, NRC officials, supported by over 100 armed policemen, took control of the houses on October 10, 2018, without prior notice. Although the Federal Ministry of Transportation had appointed a firm to enumerate and compensate 19 affected property owners, the five claimants initially refused to accept their entitlements. Two of the five homeowners have since shown willingness to receive their compensation, according to NRC spokesperson Adeyinka Aderibigbe.
The homeowners’ legal representative, Akeem Aponmade, has formally demanded payment of N154.25 million on behalf of the five families, based on valuations conducted years earlier. Aponmade emphasized that the matter had been properly assessed by a certified valuer and that his clients are seeking the full compensation they are due for the unlawful seizure of their property.
This case highlights the ongoing challenges in balancing infrastructure development with property rights in Nigeria. As the government continues to develop its rail infrastructure, affected citizens are seeking justice and fair restitution for the disruption caused by such projects. The demand for adequate compensation by the Ebute-Metta property owners is a reminder of the need for the government to ensure that property rights are respected and that citizens are fairly compensated for any losses incurred due to development projects.