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Posted By MrCover On April 28th, 2026
A Federal High Court sitting in Awka has awarded N5 million damages against the Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Emeka Orji, and other respondents in a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Lake Petroleum Limited.
The presiding judge, Justice B.M.K. Mohammed, delivered the judgment on Tuesday in Suit No. FHC/AWK/CS/75/2024.
It was filed against the Anambra State Government, the state Attorney General, the Chairman of Onitsha South LGA and the Inspector General of Police.
The suit arose from the demolition of buildings and shops belonging to Lake Petroleum Limited at Ndende Land along Niger Street in Onitsha South Local Government Area.
The applicant alleged that the demolition, carried out in 2024, affected more than 2,300 buildings and shops.
It said it also displaced about 4,000 traders and sand miners who used the area for business and operational activities.
The company further claimed that equipment and goods worth millions of naira were destroyed during the exercise.
Following the demolition, Lake Petroleum Limited secured an Interim Injunction from the court restraining further actions on Ndende Land, which was not obeyed by the respondents.
The case, which started in 2024, has suffered several adjournments due to transfers of over three judges who handled it and the alleged antics of the respondents and those who applied for joinder in the matter.
However, the court finally gave its judgment in favour of the applicant, Lake Petroleum Limited and awarded damages against the respondents.
Addressing journalists after the judgment, counsel for the applicant, Charles Arinze, from Centurion Law Practice, who spoke on behalf of his principal, Jay Jay Ezeuko, SAN, described the judgment as a testimony of the bravery of the courts in the face of executive tyranny.
Arinze said, “Today we are in the court for the matter between our client Lake Petroleum Limited versus Emeka Orji and others.”
“We filed an application for the enforcement of fundamental rights on behalf of our client for both moveable and immovable property, and today the court in its judgment agreed with us that our client’s fundamental rights, both moveable and immovable property, were violated by the respondents who enlisted armed thugs to invade the property of our client.
“So the court agreed with us and declared in its judgment that the conduct of the respondents was illegal and unconstitutional, and awarded general damages against the respondents for violating our clients fundamental rights and also made an order of perpetual injunction restraining them from further violation of our clients rights to own property.
“So the judgment is a testament of the bravery of the courts in the face of executive tyranny if I may use that word, because what happens now is a situation where government and its Ministries and functionaries violate the rights of citizens, particularly the right to own immovable properties without any justifiable reason.
“We applaud the judgment of the court today, and we ask that God Almighty will continue to give our honourable justices the wisdom they need to deliver judgments that will uphold the rule of law, justice and equity.
“The court awarded N5 million damages jointly against the respondents for the violation of our clients’ fundamental rights to own immovable property.
“We congratulate our client who decided to patiently wait for justice to take its course, instead of resorting to self-help, just as we congratulate the team of lawyers of Centurion Law Practice, G E. Ezeuko & Co, led by the learned Senior Advocate Jay Jay Ezeuko, SAN, who fought this case and ensured that justice prevailed.”
Source: https://punchng.com/court-awards-n5m-damages-against-anambra-lg-boss-over-demolitions/
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