Nigeria’s Attorney General reacts to Southwest Governors’ allegations on Magodo estate invasion

Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami has reacted to the press statement by the Nigerian Southwest Governors accusing him of interference in the Madogo phase two estate in Lagos Southern Nigeria.

The land has been subject to a legal tussle which reportedly dates back to the 1980s.

The Supreme court is said to have ordered Lagos State to give some landlords 549 plots of land as a “matter of first priority” after their properties were demolished at Shangisha.

A Press statement from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice through his Media aid Dr. Umar Gwandu condemned the Governor’s statement, saying, “the Press release came to us as a surprise. We see it as a vituperation of ulterior motives of some political class who derive pleasure in dragging the name of Malami in the mud to achieve some sinister objectives.”

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The statement noted that, “the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice takes exception to the Southwest Governors unjustifiable insinuation of impunity against the office of the Attorney General over execution of a judgment of the Supreme Court.

“Let it be known that the issue is regarding a Supreme Court judgement that was delivered in 2012 long before the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in office at a time when Malami was not a Minister.

“The judgment was a reaffirmation of the judgments of Court of Appeal and High Court delivered on 31st December, 1993.

“It is widely reported in the papers that the Lagos state Governor was quoted to have said “I’ve spoken extensively with the Inspector-General of Police and the Honourable Attorney-General, and we’ve resolved all the issues”.

“The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, would appreciate if the coalition of the Governors will help to unravel the circumstances preventing the Lagos State Government from enforcing the court order despite several attempts from 2012- 2015 and so-called settlement initiative started in 2016.”

“It is a common knowledge that execution of the judgment and orders of Courts of competent jurisdiction, and the Court of last resort in the circumstances remains a cardinal component of the rule of law and the office of the Attorney General wonders how maintenance of the law and orders in the course of execution of the judgment of the supreme can be adjudged by imagination of the governors to be unruly.”

“We want to restate that the sanctity of the rule of law is not a matter of choice.” the statement advised.

Emmanuel Ukoh