By David Torough, Abuja

The Lagos State High Court sitting in Lagos has set aside and nullified the purported installation and coronation of Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu as the Onise of Ise Kingdom in Lekki Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Epe Local Government Area, Lagos State.

The court also ordered the Lagos State Government to immediately withdraw the letter of appointment, staff of office and recognition granted to Saliu, following the installation and coronation conducted at the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Alausa, Ikeja, on August 21, 2026.

In a ruling delivered on Friday, September 11, 2026, by Justice Yetunde Adesola Adesanya of the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, the court further ordered Saliu to surrender the letter of appointment, staff of office and other benefits of office obtained during the disputed installation.

The court also directed him to immediately stop parading or holding himself out as the Onise of Ise pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

The ruling arose from a Motion on Notice for Mandatory Injunction filed on August 24, 2026, by Alhaji Adeniyi Atere and Mrs Idowu Adebisi Lana, the claimants/applicants in Suit No. LD/0022PRA/2026.

The defendants/respondents in the suit include the Lagos State Governor, the Attorney-General of Lagos State, the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Epe Local Government Area, Lekki LCDA and four individuals identified as members of the selection process, while Saliu is the 11th defendant/respondent.

The dispute centres on the process that produced Saliu as the Oba-elect and subsequently led to his appointment and installation as Onise of Ise.

A key issue before the court was whether the August 21 installation could stand after an earlier interim injunction had been issued restraining the state government and other specified defendants from taking steps to appoint Saliu as Onise of Ise.

Earlier court order

The ruling recalled that Justice S. I. Sonaike had, on August 13, 2026, issued an interim order restraining the first to fifth defendants from acting on a March 30, 2026 letter purportedly forwarding Saliu’s name as the Oba-elect of Ise Kingdom.

The order also restrained them from putting into effect any process aimed at appointing Saliu as Onise of Ise pursuant to the letter or instrument of nomination.

The court noted that the earlier order was made in the context of alleged non-compliance with the Obas and Chiefs of Lagos State Law, 2015, and the relevant Registered Declaration regulating the selection to the Onise of Ise stool.

According to the ruling, the interim injunction was to last for seven days unless renewed by the court, with August 20 fixed as the return date for a report of compliance and continuation of hearing.

The court further found that the enrolled order had been duly served on the relevant respondents and that there were acknowledged copies of the order in the court’s file.

Importantly, the ruling noted that the first to fourth respondents had themselves filed a motion dated August 18 seeking, among other things, an order discharging or setting aside the August 13 interim injunction or, alternatively, an order not to renew it.

Thus, the respondents were aware of the order and were actively challenging it through the judicial process.

Installation despite subsisting injunction

The claimants alleged that despite the service of the order, the state government proceeded with the installation on August 21.

The court recorded the allegation that the Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Dr Nurudeen Yekini Lanre Agbaje, handed over the letter of appointment and staff of office to Saliu at the ministry.
Photographs of the purported coronation and installation were also tendered as an exhibit before the court.

The court subsequently made a significant finding on the conduct complained of. It held that the evidence before it established an infringement of the earlier court order, stating:
“Not only do the averments in the Affidavits support the grant of the Order sought, but there is also irrefutable evidence of the infringement of the Order of this Honourable Court of 13th August 2026 that entitles the Claimants/Applicants to the grant of the mandatory Orders sought in this application.”

The court’s finding is central to the judgment because the application was not merely seeking to prevent a future installation; the applicants were asking the court to reverse steps that had allegedly been taken while the interim order was still in force.

Court considers power to reverse completed act

Justice Adesanya considered the legal principles governing mandatory injunctions, noting that such an injunction is positive in nature because it requires a defendant to undo an act that has already been carried out.

The court reviewed several authorities, including CBN v. UTB (Nig.) Ltd., CBN v. Industrial Bank Ltd., Abubakar & 10 Ors. v. Jos Metropolitan & Anor., and H.R.H. Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari & Ors. v. Alhaji Saadu A.O. Bukola.
Of particular relevance was the Court of Appeal decision in the Sulu-Gambari chieftaincy case, which the applicants had relied upon.

In that case, the Court of Appeal held that although injunctions generally do not restrain completed acts, an exception could arise where a party deliberately proceeds with an act after becoming aware of an application seeking to restrain it.
The court quoted the appellate court as stating:
“To condone such a situation amounts to encouraging ‘executive lawlessness’ which will only jeopardize the rule of law and civilized conduct.”

The Court of Appeal had consequently recognised that a restorative mandatory injunction could be used where a party deliberately acted in disregard of the authority of the court.

Justice Adesanya found that the principle was applicable to the circumstances before her.

Court orders reversal of installation

Having considered the processes, affidavits, exhibits and submissions of counsel, the court granted the application in full.

The first mandatory order compels the first to fourth defendants- comprising the Lagos State Governor, Attorney-General, the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, and the ministry, to withdraw the appointment letter, staff of office and recognition of Saliu as Onise of Ise.

The court’s order specifically relates to the appointment and recognition arising from the August 21 installation and coronation.

The second order compels Saliu himself to surrender the appointment letter, staff of office and other paraphernalia of office associated with the disputed stool.

The third order directs him to stop parading or holding himself out as the Onise of Ise pending the final determination of the substantive suit.

The court’s fourth and most consequential order expressly sets aside and nullifies the purported installation and coronation.

The ruling states:
“AN ORDER OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT SETTING ASIDE AND NULLIFYING the purported installation and coronation of the 11th Defendant/Respondent as the Onise of Ise Kingdom…”

The court made clear, however, that the mandatory injunctions are interim orders and are not the final determination of the substantive chieftaincy dispute.
It expressly stated:
“THESE MANDATORY ORDERS OF INJUNCTION ARE GRANTED PENDING THE HEARING AND DETERMINATION OF THE SUBSTANTIVE SUIT.”

Court stresses obedience to its orders
The ruling also dealt extensively with the importance of compliance with subsisting court orders.

The applicants had argued that proceeding with the installation after service of the injunction amounted to executive lawlessness, self-help and an attempt to overreach the judicial process.

While those descriptions originated from the applicants’ grounds, the court’s decision ultimately accepted the central factual contention that the earlier order had been infringed and that mandatory relief was warranted.

The court also noted that the respondents, despite being aware of the proceedings and the interim order, did not proceed to have their pending August 18 motion determined before the disputed installation took place.

According to the ruling:
“The Respondents being fully aware of the pendency of these proceedings and the Order of this court chose to stay away from the proceedings, failed to move their pending Motion on Notice dated 18th August 2026, or defend the instant application rather proceeded to flout the Interim Order of this Court.”

The court consequently concluded that the circumstances justified the exceptional remedy of a mandatory injunction to restore the position that existed before the disputed act.

It therefore ordered that the state government’s recognition and instruments of office be withdrawn and that Saliu cease to hold himself out as Onise of Ise while the substantive case remains pending.

The substantive suit will determine the underlying dispute over the lawful selection and appointment to the Onise of Ise stool.

Frontline business magnet and former National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur is dead. He was aged 90.

The former Governor of the old Gongola state passed on Saturday, September 12, after a protracted illness.

Eldest son of the deceased, Awwal D.

He however, gave no details.

Tukur, a nonagenarian was an international businessman who founded the African Business Round Table, which platform he used to market bsuiness opportunities on the continent to international investors.

He had a successful career in the public service and rose through the ranks to become the General Manager and Chief Executive of Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA) during the regime of General Yakubu Gowon.

He was appointed Minister of Industries by former Head of State, the late General Sani Abacha and after leaving office, remained an active political actor and effectively combined with the operation of his vast business empire, which spanned shipping, manufacturing among others.

He was reputed for his philanthropic gestures both in his home state of Adamawa and across the country.

The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve compliance, risk protection in the aviation sector.

The MoU which was signed on Wednesday in Abuja is expected to establish a framework for aviation operations to remain adequate, valid and responsive to emerging risks.

The Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive Officer of NAICOM, Olusegun Omosehin, said the agreement was a significant milestone in strengthening institutional cooperation between the insurance and aviation regulators.

He said the partnership demonstrated the shared commitment of both institutions to the safety, integrity and resilience of Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem.

According to him, although NAICOM and NCAA have distinct statutory mandates, their responsibilities are mutually reinforcing risk management, consumer protection and industry stability.

 “The aviation industry occupies a strategic position in our economy, providing critical services that support commerce, tourism, investment and national development,” he said.

The commissioner said NAICOM would continue to provide regulatory oversight and technical expertise on insurance matters under the partnership.

He said that the commission would support initiatives aimed at protecting Nigerians and promoting compliance across the aviation and insurance industries.

He said the committee would facilitate information sharing, reviews of insurance requirements, coordinate stakeholder engagements and promote capacity building for both regulators and industry participants.

Omosehin assured the NCAA management of NAICOM’s full commitment to the effective operation of the committee, and provide the necessary technical expertise to deliver on its mandate.

“These measures will contribute significantly to improved regulatory effectiveness and enhanced confidence among stakeholders,” he said.

He said the partnership went beyond regulatory compliance, adding that it is an initiative to protect policyholders and strengthen investor confidence in Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem.

According to him, insurance provides critical financial protection to passengers, airlines, and members of the public by ensuring that legitimate liabilities, accidents and losses are appropriately addressed when they occur.

 “Compulsory aviation liability insurance remains an important safeguard for air travellers and other users of aviation services.

“A robust insurance framework, therefore, promotes public confidence in air transportation, supports business continuity, and contributes to the stability required for sustainable economic growth,” he said.

The commissioner said the initiative was part of the Federal Government’s broader economic ambitions of attaining a one trillion-dollar economy by 2030 under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said that aviation safety and passenger protection were shared responsibilities requiring sustained collaboration among regulators, operators, insurers and other stakeholders.

 “Through effective cooperation between NAICOM and NCAA, we can better safeguard passengers, protect third parties and contribute to a safer, more resilient and more trusted air transport system,” he said.

In his remarks, the Director-General of the NCAA, Capt Chris Najomo, said the partnership was designed to strengthen aviation safety through adequate financial protection and sustainable insurance practices.

Najomo said that the objective of the partnership was not merely to enforce compliance but to create an effective framework capable of addressing regulatory and operational challenges.

“Our objective is not merely to enforce compliance, but to establish a balanced regulatory environment in which aviation safety and financial protection complement each other.

“Effective collaboration between the two regulatory bodies will promote sustainable insurance practices,” he said.(NAN)