JEI provides direct litigation and advocacy support to individuals and communities in need. Priorities for strategic litigation and advocacy are identified by communities. JEI undertakes litigation before Nigerian courts, regional/international human rights bodies, and advocacy before other forums such as the National Human Rights Commission or the World Bank Inspection Panel. To make these activities sustainable, JEI works with paralegals and member communities to establish community-managed strategic litigation and advocacy funds. JEI has also built a broad referral network among complementary civil society organizations and pro bono lawyers.

ADVOCACY SPOTLIGHT: FORCED EVICTION OF BADIA EAST COMMUNITY, LAGOS STATE
On February 23 2013, the Lagos State Government forcibly evicted over 9,000 residents of Badia East. Read about JEI's continued advocacy before the World Bank here.

ADVOCACY SPOTLIGHT: OTTO ILOGBO UNDER SEIGE
Since April 2014, the Otto Ilogbo community in Lagos, Nigeria, has been sacked by fire and violence that has chased hundreds of innocent residents from their homes. Read what JEI is doing about it here.

LITIGATION SPOTLIGHT: Forced Eviction and Land Grab cases before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
Recognizing the unique challenges that cases of forced eviction of urban poor face before domestic courts, JEI's legal team undertook a strategic campaign to raise the awareness of the NHRC of the scourge of forced evictions that continue in cities throughout Nigeria. As part of this campaign, JEI has built a coalition of NGOs in Lagos and Port Harcourt to collectively support over a dozen communities putting complaints of forced evictions in their communities before the NHRC for adjudication. A selection of these cases are highlighted below:

Eagle Island U.S.T./Agip Waterfront Community vs. Rivers State Government & Ors. [forced eviction], Original Complaint to NHRC (filed March 2014)
Abonnema Wharf Community vs. Rivers State Government & Ors. [forced eviction], Original Complaint to NHRC (filed September 2013)
Njemanze Community vs. Rivers State Government & Ors. [forced eviction], Original Complaint to (filed May 2014)
Sogho/Ueken Ogoni Communities vs. Rivers State Government & Ors. [land grab], Original Complaint to NHRC (filed September 2013)
Progressive Union Residents Association (PURA) vs. Lagos State Government & Ors. [forced eviction], Original Complaint to NHRC (filed November 2013), Supplemental Submission (filed May 2015)
Badia East Community vs. Lagos State Government & Ors. [forced eviction], Original Complaint to NHRC (filed March 2013)
Otto Ilogbo Community vs. Lagos State Government & Ors. [forced eviction], Original Complaint to NHRC (filed May 2014), Supplementary Request for Interim Protection Measures (filed August 2014)

Updates from our work:

December 2014, Alausa, Lagos State -- Lagos communities with cases pending before the National Human Rights Commission's (NHRC) public inquiry on forced evictions protest in front of the Lagos State Governor's office and the NHRC's Lagos office to raise awareness about the scourge of forced evictions in Lagos and request that the NHRC return to make rulings on the cases pending before it. JEI's legal team is supporting each of these communities cases.

March 2014, Port Harcourt, Rivers State -- JEI meets with evictees of the Njemanze community who continue to struggle for justice in the aftermath of the August 2009 demolition of their homes and businesses. JEI is providing pro-bono legal support to their petition before the National Human Rights Commission, filed in May 2014. The Commission held its first hearing on this case during its sitting of the Public Inquiry on Forced Evictions convened in Port Harcourt, May 18-21.

November 2014, Otodo Gbame, Lagos State -- JEI meets with leaders of the Otodo Gbame community in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, to discuss the increasing encroachment by development into their community's lands. JEI's legal team is partnering with two law offices to develop a successful legal strategy to support the community.

January 2014, Bori, Rivers State -- Ogoni farmers whose land was grabbed by the Rivers State government and a Mexican banana company practice giving testimony in preparation for the National Human Rights Commission hearing their petition. The land grab affects 9 communities across two kingdoms in Ogoniland, and has resulted in the killing of at least 31 people.

ADVOCACY SPOTLIGHT: OTTO ILOGBO UNDER SEIGE

Since April 2014, the Otto Ilogbo community in Lagos, Nigeria, has been sacked by fire and violence that has chased hundreds of innocent residents from their homes. A human rights defender from Otto Ilogbo, Agbodemu Musbau Ishola, has been targeted by a powerful family that sees him as a stumbling block to their taking over Otto Ilogbo. >> read Otto Ilogbo's complaint to the National Human Rights Commission

Watch the video and sign a petition to urge action to save Otto Ilogbo

ADVOCACY SPOTLIGHT: FORCED EVICTION OF BADIA EAST COMMUNITY, LAGOS STATE

Without notice, consultation, or resettlement, at 7am on February 23 2013, bulldozers and armed men from the Lagos State Government descended on the Badia East community, demolishing the homes and businesses of over 9,000 residents.

Not only was the land subject to ongoing litigation before the Lagos State High Court, but the Badia East community was an intended beneficiary of the $200 million dollar World Bank funded Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project (LMDGP) urban upgrading activities.