Meriogun Dadson Ogbe V. SAM WARRI ESI (1943)

LawGlobal Hub Judgment Report – West African Court of Appeal

Injunction—Injunction granted though not claimed—Injunction in wide terms.

Facts

Appellants were sued by respondent in two actions which were consolidated. In one action respondent claimed damages for trespass committed on certain land., and in the other he claimed damages for another trespass committed on a piece of land forming an enclave in the first land but not affected by the former acts of trespass, and an injunction to restrain appellants from entering the enclave.
Evidence was given of acts of trespass in the enclave and at two places in the land outside the enclave. The trial Judge gave damages for the trespass in the enclave • and for the trespass at one of the places outside it, but considered that the evidence that respondent was in possession of the land at the other place was not strong enough to enable him to maintain trespass. He also gave two injunctions, one to restrain appellants from entering the enclave, and the other to restrain them from entering the whole of tha land without the consent of third parties in whom the evidence showed the land outside the enclave was vested.

Held

No justification for granting the second injunction; appeal allowed as regards the second injunction, and judgment of trial Court varied by deleting the grant thereof.(Note.—For the grant of equitable relief which has not been claimed. but the right to which appears incidentally in the proceedings, see Protectorate Courts’ Ordinance, No. 45 of 1933, section 15 (Nigeria). Protectorate Courts’ Rifles, No. 5 of 1934, Order X, rule 2 (Nigeria), the Supreme Court of Judicature Act, 1873 (36 & 37 Viet., c. 66) section 24. sub-section (4), the notes in the Annual Practice to section 40 of the Supreme Court of Judicature (Consolidation) Act, 1925 (15 & 16 Geo. 5. c. 49), and Beigh v. Shaw, 5 W.A.C.A. 16.

As each party has been partly successful in this Court there will be no order as to costs in this Court.