Court Invalidates Interim Order In Hampton Island Land Dispute,Bars Social Media Commentary

A Lagos High Court, presided over by Justice E.O. Ashade, has declared that the interim injunction issued on March 25, 2025, in a land dispute between Capital Gardens Limited and Oretol Nigeria Limited, is no longer effective.

The court ruled that the injunction has been rendered moot following the parties’ compliance with the Pre-action Protocol of the High Court of Lagos State, which had initially warranted the issuance of the order.

The legal dispute centers on a four-hectare parcel of unreclaimed, submerged land located within the approximately 40-hectare Hampton Island Estate in Lekki, Lagos. The area in contention is identified in Survey Plan No. FAI/3454/A01/2024/LA, dated February 8, 2024, and prepared by Registered Surveyor A.I. Fashina.

Justice Ashade, in a further directive, cautioned both parties against publishing any details of the dispute on social media or other public platforms, emphasizing the need for discretion and legal propriety.

Addressing widespread misinformation circulating online, the court clarified through official documents that the entire Hampton Island Estate encompasses approximately 40 hectares and has a government-approved layout. Only four hectares—specifically, a submerged and yet-to-be-reclaimed section—are subject to the ongoing litigation. The rest of the estate remains unaffected and is not under judicial review.

The conflict originated from a 2020 agreement under which Oretol Nigeria Limited, the estate’s developer, undertook to allocate the four-hectare parcel to Capital Gardens Limited upon the successful reclamation of the land. However, delays brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic disruptions led to escalating costs, making the project financially unviable. This prompted Oretol to terminate the agreement.

In response, Capital Gardens Limited initiated legal proceedings to challenge the termination, asserting its entitlement under the original terms of the deal.

With the interim injunction now lifted and both parties restrained from public commentary, the matter is expected to proceed in court in accordance with due process.