A protracted legal battle over who controls the administration of a major Lagos estate has been decisively settled by the judiciary, affirming the power of residents over their community.
Court Delivers Landmark Ruling for Residents
In a significant judgment delivered on 20 December 2025, Justice Atinuke Ipaye of the Lagos High Court sitting in Osborne, Ikoyi, put an end to the management dispute at Lekki County Estate. The court restrained Lekki County Homes Estate Management Company Limited and others from continuing to present themselves as the estate's managers.
The ruling stemmed from the suit numbered LD/6989GCM/2023, filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Ikota Kounti Residents and Owners Association (IKROA) against the management company. Justice Ipaye held that the residents' association had validly terminated the Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the defendant firm. The court found that the defendants' continued claim to manage the estate lacked any legal foundation.
New Manager Appointed, Assets Ordered for Handover
Furthermore, the court affirmed that the appointment of Global Property Facilities International Limited as the new estate manager by IKROA was lawful and proper. To enforce its decision, the court issued a perpetual injunction against the 1st and 2nd defendants.
This injunction restrains them from parading themselves as managers or interfering in the estate's control. A critical order was also given for the defendants to hand over all assets belonging to the residents' association. The court dismissed the counter-claim filed by the defendants in its entirety, describing it as without merit.
Residents Hail Victory After Years of Discontent
Reacting to the judgment, the residents' legal counsel, Timothy Bamgboye, described it as a victory for estate occupants who had long suffered from inadequate essential services. He expressed confidence that the judgment, which was heavily based on documentary evidence, would withstand any potential appeal.
The Chairman of IKROA, Wale Olawoyin, celebrated the ruling as a "well-deserved victory". He revealed that all attempts at an amicable resolution had failed before the matter was taken to court. Residents are now focused on ensuring full compliance with the court's handover order.
Providing background, the immediate past chairman of IKROA, Dr. Ndubisi Okaro, stated the dispute originated from years of perceived insensitivity by the developer-linked management company. He cited alleged attempts to impose leadership on the residents' association and run parallel administrative structures. Dr. Okaro added that residents had previously secured a judgment on fundamental rights concerning alleged harassment and service disruptions.
When approached for comment after the ruling, one of the defence counsels, Akintunde Ibironke, declined to speak. This judgment conclusively determines the control of Lekki County Estate, firmly establishing the residents' right to choose who manages their affairs.
