Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mohammed Ndarani Mohammed, has accused Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, of unlawfully attempting to seize a legally acquired property in Lagos.
In a statement, Ndarani, who is the principal partner to the legal team representing a consortium of investors, alleged that Umahi diverted a federal road project from its gazetted alignment to forcibly encroach upon private land allocated by the Lagos State Government.
He said the investors had fulfilled all legal and constitutional requirements before acquiring the property.
“This is an illegal and dangerous precedent,” Ndarani declared, warning that such acts erode investor confidence and tarnish Nigeria’s image as a viable investment destination.
The SAN cited multiple legal breaches, including violations of the 1999 Constitution and the Land Use Act. He also condemned the reported deployment of military personnel to enforce the encroachment and suppress opposition from affected civilians.
Among his demands are immediate intervention by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call Minister Umahi to order, and legal clarification from the Attorney-General of the Federation on federal limits over land
Others are a full-scale National Assembly investigation into the alleged abuse of office and unconditional release of Mr. Olamide Obanla, said to have been arrested by security forces during the conflict
“This is a defining moment for Nigeria’s democracy. We cannot allow lawlessness and impunity to become the order of the day,” Ndarani stated.