Abuja — The Federal government and Lagos State government have been jointly sued by a construction firm, BPS Engineering and Construction Company Limited at an Abuja High court.

In a motion suit no: 48/09 filed in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in the Abuja Judicial Division, the plaintiff is asking the defendants, Federal government and Lagos State government to pay as the sum of N59,519,649,551.72 being a fair compensation for the extensive work carried out by the plaintiff as the request of the defendants towards the realisation of the Permanent Solution to the Victoria Island, Bar Beach Erosion Problem.

Joined in the suit is the Attorney General of the Federation, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Federal Capital Development Authority , Minister of Works, South Energy Nigeria Limited and High -Tech Construction.

BPS instituted the case to challenge the defendants over the passing off of the technical engineering solution , drawings, specifications and proposals purportedly submitted by the plaintiff to the defendants on 31st August and 1st September, 2004.

While the Federal government awarded the contract of Eko Atlantic city project to BPS, the Lagos State government rewarded it to South Energy Nigeria and Hi-Tech Construction Co. LTD. said to belong to Chagoury brothers while the proposals being executed originally was the one submitted by BPS, the initial contractor.

It claims that it has spent billions of naira in putting up the proposals by involving foreign partners in satellite surveying of the Bar -Beach and other technical inputs involved in such projects.

The contract was a subject of controversy between the Federal government and Lagos State government over whom among the two has the constitutional right to the award of the Lagos Bar Beach contract as a territorial land.

The Federal government through the Federal ministry of Environment in April 2008, issued out a press statement to express its displeasure over the way Lagos State government has embarked on the Eko Atlantic city project without its (FG's) consent.

While the Federal government awarded the project to BPS, Lagos State government re-awarded it to the present contractors.

The case has been adjourned to 10th December, 2009.