Court issues contempt notice against former Lagos task force head, firm over land dispute
A Lagos State High Court has issued a notice of consequences of disobedience to court orders against Engineer Peter Omotosho, a former head of the Lagos State Task Force, STARMARK Finance Company Limited, and another defendant over their alleged continued encroachment on a property in Lekki, despite an existing court injunction.
The notice, known as Form 48, was filed by Dr Ojo Oluwatosin Ademola, a medical doctor and claimant in the case.
Mr Tunji Solaja was also named as a Defendant/Respondent in the matter for allegedly defying a restraining order issued by Justice Akinkunmi O. Idowu.
The lawsuit also includes an application seeking to bar the law firm of Lawal Pedro (SAN) & Associates from representing STARMARK Finance Company Limited in the ongoing case.
The claimant argued that the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice should be directed to withdraw from representing the company due to a conflict of interest.
Additionally, the claimant is requesting the court to revoke a prior order that allowed a change of counsel for the first defendant to Lawal Pedro’s firm on February 18, 2025.
The Lagos High Court had earlier granted an interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants from trespassing on the disputed property located at Plot 1, Block 4, Lekki Peninsula, Scheme 1, Admiralty Road, Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The injunction explicitly barred the defendants from harassing, intimidating, or disrupting activities on the land, which measures 1,147.124 square meters and is legally registered under a Deed of Assignment at the Lagos State Land Registry.
Additionally, the court prohibited the defendants from employing law enforcement agencies, thugs, or other coercive measures to intimidate Dr Ojo and his workers.
However, despite these clear orders, Dr Ojo has reported multiple attempts by the defendants to unlawfully seize the property using police officers and other means of force.
