A civil society organisation, the Human Rights and Grassroots Development Society (HRGDS), has thrown its weight behind the judiciary over the lingering Lekki waterfront property dispute, insisting that the court stepped in with clean hands and clear conscience.
The group’s Executive Secretary, Mr Femi Akanbi, made the position known in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja, where he decried what he described as a growing storm of misinformation, intimidation and unprovoked attacks aimed at the Nigerian judiciary.
Akanbi said the ruling by Justice Uthman Musa of the FCT High Court—ordering all parties to keep matters as they are and directing the police to secure the disputed property—“was taken judicially, lawfully and in accordance with settled legal principles.”
According to him, the rising verbal missiles fired at the courts amount to a dangerous attempt to twist the arm of justice through media spin and choreographed public outrage.
He clarified that the claimant, Mr Henry Orabuchi, merely activated his constitutionally protected right by approaching a court with the grievance, stressing that no law was broken in seeking judicial intervention.
“The ruling was issued solely to preserve the subject matter of the dispute and prevent further illegality pending the determination of the substantive suit.
“It is reckless, misleading and legally indefensible for any individual or organisation to suggest that the court acted outside its powers or targeted innocent parties,” Akanbi stated.
He noted that courts exist “precisely to intervene” when disputes, alleged irregularities and rival claims threaten to spiral into chaos or cause damage that cannot be undone.
Akanbi expressed concern over what he described as coordinated assaults on the judiciary whenever “lawful court orders” clash with entrenched private interests, warning that such behaviour sets a troubling tone.
He added that this trend has reportedly spilled over into threats against media organisations that have simply reported factual developments surrounding the case.
“Such conduct raises grave concerns regarding contempt of court and deliberate attempts to undermine public confidence in the justice system,” he warned.
The HRGDS boss emphasised that disagreement with a court ruling does not grant anyone the freedom to drag judges through the mud, whip up public anger or run smear campaigns against the bench.
“Such actions strike at the very heart of democracy and the rule of law,” he said.
He urged all parties to channel their grievances strictly through lawful means, cautioning that Nigeria must not allow a culture where litigants chase favourable outcomes through propaganda, coercion or mob tactics.
Justice Musa had ordered all parties to maintain the status quo over the property identified as Plot A, Block 12, Lekki Peninsula Scheme, including the reclaimed land measuring 3,000 square metres, pending the conclusion of the suit.
The court also directed the police to secure the site to prevent damage, while instructing all relevant registering authorities to suspend any action on the property until the case is determined.
The order followed a suit filed by Orabuchi, who listed the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police, ACP Magaji K. Mohammed (Assistant Commissioner of Police, Head, IGP Monitoring Unit), SP Abigail Patrick, Emecheta Elvis Eze, and the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development as respondents.
