Braithwaite seeks demolition of 14-storey building on V-Island

BY Williams Jimoh

Lagos lawyer, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, has asked a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere, to order Standard Chartered Bank to demolish, with immediate effect,  a 14-storey building under construction situated at 142 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The case is before Justice Doris Okuwobi.

Braithwaite, in the N10 billion suit, is further praying the court to declare that the construction by the bank of the 14-floor building and a five level car park on the land, 124 Ahmadu Bello way, Victoria Island, Lagos, was unlawful and damaging his right.

He is further asking the court to declare that the commercial building “now at 10th floor constitutes, and it is an illegal structure.”

He also wants the court to declare  that notwithstanding ”the defendant’s illegal development permit, the said commercial bank building constitutes a nuisance and an unlawful obliteration of the claimant’s easement to high, air and linkage the rights of the claimant for over 40 years.”

He is further contending that before the commencement of the suit, seeking a perpetual injunction to restrain the defendant, from commencing its then proposed 14-floor commercial building, the bank was just preparing to start construction.

Meanwhile at the resumed hearing in the matter, counsel to the defendant sought for an adjournment to respond to the claimant’s amended statement of claim, which the court obliged and adjourned till April 9, 2013.