Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has criticised the ongoing demolitions of houses in Abuja and Lagos, stating that no governor or minister has the legal authority to demolish any property without obtaining a court order.
Falana made this remark on Friday while responding to questions during an interview on Arise Television, describing the demolitions as a serious breach of the rule of law and a direct affront to the judiciary.
According to him, the demolitions, which reportedly occurred at midnight despite existing court orders, were unconstitutional and unlawful.
“No governor or minister has the power to demolish a house in Nigeria without a valid court order.”
“Under our constitutional arrangement, you must go to court to prove that a building violates the law before demolition can be authorised,” he said.
He further noted that both Lagos and Abuja have Urban and Regional Planning laws that clearly specify the proper procedure for demolition, including the issuance of statutory notices and providing affected individuals the opportunity to appeal.
