NICON Town Land Crisis Deepens as Residents Push for Full Trial
The long-running land battle inside NICON Town Estate in Lekki has taken a more intense turn as residents and plot owners ask the Lagos State High Court to discard the originating summons filed by Harris Dredging Limited and the NICON Town Management Company.
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They want the case moved to a writ of summons, which will open the door for full pleadings, cross-examination, and oral testimony.
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The request was made at the Tafawa Balewa Square division, where the Incorporated Trustees of the NICON Town Residents and Plot Owners’ Association and 14 homeowners argued that the chosen legal procedure is wrong for a dispute filled with accusations of fraud, conflicting documents, and sharply different versions of the estate’s ownership history.
Residents say facts are too disputed
Harris Dredging and NTMC are asking the court in suit LD/5141/LM/2024 to confirm Harris Dredging’s title to a 5,899.31-square-meter plot located in the estate’s Community Centre Zone. They also want validation of a 2010 deed of sub-lease registered at the Lagos Land Registry.
But defence counsel Adebayo Adeyemo argued that the controversy goes far beyond simple document interpretation.
He said the case involves major disagreements about the authenticity of the claimants’ documents, NTMC’s authority to issue them, and allegations of fraud and misrepresentation.
According to him, these issues cannot be settled by affidavit evidence alone. He reminded the court that Supreme Court decisions have made it clear that originating summons should not be used in disputes where the facts are heavily contested.
Claimants rely on 2023 settlement agreement
According to a Punch report, counsel to Harris Dredging and NTMC, George Oguntade (SAN), countered that the matter is mainly about interpreting a May 31, 2023 settlement agreement signed by all sides. He said the agreement already confirmed Harris Dredging’s title, so the defendants cannot backtrack.
However, counsel for the first defendant, Titilola Akinlawon (SAN), pointed to an earlier 2016 agreement that contradicts the claimants’ claims.
She said the existence of multiple agreements and clashing documents makes a full trial the only fair option.
Defendants insist land was meant for community use
In a detailed affidavit, the second defendant, Adekola Balogun, said the disputed plot is part of the estate’s Community Centre Zone, created for utilities, recreation, green spaces, and public facilities under the approved 2003 layout.
According to him, the area has been in use since 2005, including two Olympic-sized tennis courts.
Balogun argued that NTMC, which was incorporated in 2004, neither owned nor developed the estate and could not have legally issued the 2010 sub-lease.
He described the document as unauthorised and fraudulent and accused the claimants of hiding the official layout plan because it weakens their case.
Motion to disqualify claimants’ counsel adds new twist
The defendants also filed a motion to disqualify Harris Dredging’s lawyer, Yele Delano (SAN), on grounds of conflict of interest.
They said Delano is a plot owner, a member of the residents’ association, a director of NTMC, and the drafter of the controversial 2016 agreement.
They argued that these overlapping roles make him a potential witness and unfit to serve as counsel under ethical rules.
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In response, Harris Dredging’s Company Secretary, Okon E. Okon, said the firm co-developed the estate and that trouble only started after residents built a tennis court on the land in 2011. He insisted the 2023 settlement resolved all issues and blamed a small group of residents for reigniting the dispute.
Court adjourns to decide case procedure
After hearing all sides, Justice Olukayode Ogunjobi adjourned proceedings to February 19, 2026. On that date, the court will decide whether the suit should continue under originating summons or be converted to a full trial.
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It was introduced by the government as a major update to the current Tenancy Law of 2011 and aims to tackle the city’s notorious challenges: two-year advance rent, unregulated agents, prolonged eviction battles and exploitative housing practices.
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Source: Legit.ng
