By Sonnie Ekwowusi
The law is clear that even if there are statutory laws breached by the victims, the government nevertheless should have apopori taken the victims to court. It cannot use force or proceed to carry out the demolition to eject the victims. The Lagos State government must go to court to obtain a court order before the ejection, and, if it must carry out a demolition it must first obtain a court order before doing so. Simply waking up in the morning and using the bulldozer to demolish Igbo properties is barbaric and a travesty of the rule of law.
We ought to be governed by the rule of law, and not rule by force or rule by ethnic sentiments.
Therefore, the Lagos State government acted mala fide by taking the law into its hands and demolishing the properties of innocent Igbo persons without a court order
There are many decided cases on this famous of which is Ojukwu V Governor of Lagos State
I would advice apex Igbo socio-cultural organization and the agrieved to seek a remedy at a Nigerian court or at the ECOWAS court.
Refraining from seeking a remedy in court on the presupposition that the judiciary is corrupt is a defeatist option.
The aggrieved can get remedy in the Nigerian court or at the ECOWAS court
Sonnie Ekwowusi
The views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Law & Society Magazine.
