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Richard Nyong’s Lekki Gardens linked to N9.9m fraud allegation in estate deal

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2 years ago

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On September 17, 2018, Zakari Uthman and his wife Aishat walked up to the corporate office of Paradise Estate, Abuja, with the dream of owning a house.

Prior to the visit, the couple had visited one of the firm’s project sites at Idu Sabo, a suburb in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Being a homeowner in the nation’s capital is mostly considered a rare feat and a lifetime dream for many residents.

The couple had spent over a decade paying high rents in a highbrow area of Abuja. So, it is only reasonable to want to seek an end to rent payment. They resolved to buy the property using the wife’s name, Aishat Olajumoke Balogun.

The couple eventually made a N5 million part payment for a three-bedroom Maisonette Duplex at the Paradise Estate in September 17, 2018.

The entire project cost was N9.9 million. And they were subsequently issued an offer letter to that effect.

Four months after, precisely January 3, 2019, the couple made the second tranche payment of N4.9 million.

These payments completed the total project cost. The project’s initial delivery date was scheduled for December 31, 2019, but it was later shifted. Now, the due date has been shifted more than five times in three years. And as of the time of filing this report, the couple was yet to get their property.

“…We have not only lost money that could have accrued on the mutual funds we liquidated at 12 per cent to quickly pay off the initial money but also took a facility at 27 per cent to complete the payment with the hope that by the end of 2019, we will no longer have to pay rent,” Balogun said.

On Friday, March 11, there was a footage of aggrieved clients who stormed the firm’s office to protest over issues regarding their land titles.

Mrs-Olajumoke-Proof-of-payment

“Give us our money…we will make sure the world hears our cries. We don’t have money but we will continue to make noise for the world to know…they are 419ers.”

Also, four years earlier, in August 2018, the Association of House Owners and Residents (AHOAR), led by Samson Oche, held a similar protest against the same property firm owned by Lekki Homes. This time, the house owners protested over poor job delivery and non-issuance of house titles, among other concerns.

Some inscriptions read: “where is our title document Richard, we are tired of your deceits,” “Our roofs are giving way with the slightest rainstorm.”

“We have been promised for three weeks from the date of handover of our units to receive our title documents but three years down the lane, it’s been stories upon stories,” Oche said.

Ogbugo Ukoha was among the protesters. As of the date of demonstration, he had lived on the estate for more than a year but was more concerned about the land title. He told the News Agency of Nigeria the property kept selling despite having litigations hanging on the property.

He said the Federal High Court, Abuja had earlier issued a judgment against the Paradise Estate in favour of a third party, yet continued to sell to ignorant members of the public.

“The developer sold the property to everyone off-plan…surprisingly, after having paid, we discovered that they have been in court for the last, probably, five years during which he was selling and still assuring the owner of the place.

“By February, the FCT High Court gave a judgment against paradise having gotten this land through a third party, which means those of us who bought have been deceived into buying an asset we don’t own.”

Check shows that Ukoha is an Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). But, he could not be reached as of the time of filing this report to further find out if some of the concerns have been resolved as of date.

On Friday, April 8, this reporter visited his office at the NMDPRA but was denied entry access.

Meanwhile, full payment made by the aggrieved couple should have resulted in quick project delivery, rather Paradise Estate has repeatedly failed on its promised delivery date.

Apart from the original date set for December 31, 2019, the firm rescheduled to January 3, 2020, due to reasons such as the cost of building materials.

Zakari and his wife Aisha later met with the firm’s Managing Director Blessing Nyong-Essien, including another top official identified as Taofeek, a doctor. The couple was assured of the project completion by March 31, 2020, while the infrastructure would be fully sorted by May 31, 2020.

They became confident with the level of assurance after the meeting, that they paid the project’s Value Added Tax (VAT) of N495, 000 to the Federal Government, and notified the landlord of their intention to vacate their current building once the rent expired in May 2020. But it all ended in failure.

Another delivery date was set for July 2020 when the firm could not meet up with an earlier promise. It was further shifted to November 12, 2020; December 31, 2020; and, February 28, 2021.

This implied the couple was yet to get keys to the complete building over three years after payment.

“In the offer letter we were issued on September 14, 2018, it stated that our property will be delivered to us within 12 months which had elapsed by December 31, 2019, going by the payment dates,” a furious Aishat Balogun said.

“We visited the site on January 1, 2020, to ascertain the level of completion because the company lines [phone] were not going through, and we were disappointed with the state of progress.”

At this point, they demanded a refund since the firm had repeatedly reneged on its agreement.

Aishat reached out to a popular social media influencer who was consulted to amplify the estate project at the outset.

The complainant was shocked when the influencer advised she deploy whatever legal means necessary to get her project delivered or seek a refund.

“Based on the contract of sales, the house is to be delivered 12 months with a three-month grace period or four months in cases of force majeure. All these, I have graciously given. Then according to the contract, the buyer has the right to terminate the contract after two months of non-delivery and you guys would have eight months to pay me,” she wrote in a letter to the firm dated Monday, September 6, 2021.

“Even if I add all of these together, you have all grossly defaulted on all grounds,” she added.

On September 8, 2021, Eniola Olaoye, an official from the Client Services Unit responded to the mail announcing her allocation.

“Kindly find the attached letter with respect to the delivery of your allocated unit M3C Unit 1, Paradise Ville, Idu Sabo.”

Paradise Estate Limited’s last post on the social media platform (Facebook), as of the time of filing this report was on April 25, 2018.

Culled From ICIR….

 

To be continued……….

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Rotary International District 9112 launches its coastal restoration initiative by planting 1,000 coconut trees in Lagos

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July 26, 2024

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In a bid to promote its mission of improving the environment, Rotary international District 9112 on Sunday kicked off an environment-saving intervention tagged: Coastal Restoration Initiative at Westside Beach, Okun, Ajah, Lagos, where 1000 coconut trees were planted along the coastal shores of the Atlantic Ocean.

 

Speaking at the event, the Governor of Rotary International, District 9112 Rotarian Femi Adenekan said the “initiative is conceived to save the environment as well as reduce the adverse effect of the climate change.”

 

According to him; “the environment is one of the main focus areas of Rotary International. We need to consciously come to the realization that we need to save our environment. We need to save ourselves. So that in the future, those that will come after us will have life.”

“People assume that the world belongs to them. They have forgotten that they are just tenants on the surface of the earth. If you try to change nature, nature will react, which is the reason we are having a lot of environmental damage in the world. Some of wrong human activities, such as throwing plastics and other items into water or where it ought not to be is causing us environmental challenges. If we don’t take care of our environment, the environment will react and take us out of the surface of the earth,” He said.

 

 

The chairman of the District 9112 Tree Planting Committee, Rtn. Gboyega Bada recommended the adoption of an “Every Rotarian Plant a Tree Every Year” policy and also indicated plans for Rotary International District 9112 to propose a Private Bill to the Lagos State House of Assembly to enable all Lagos Residents plant a tree every year for the next five years to address the challenges of climate change.

 

Rtn Bada stated that the vision of Rotary District 9112 on Tree Planting is to achieve a safer and cleaner environment by planting 10,000 seedlings of Coconut, Mango, Breadfruit, Avocado and other ralated crops that have economic, health and environmental benefits.

 

The event was well attended by Stakeholders in the Private and Public Sectors. Pan African Towers Ltd, Tolaram Group, Azeez Amida Foundation, Telenoetica Ltd, amongst others were well represented. Past District Governor Tunji Funsho led other Rotary Leaders to give their support. The DG’s wife Rtn Tayo Adenekan, the District Governor elect Rtn Lanre Adedoyin, General Manager of Lagos State Coconut Development Authority, Dapo Olakulehim and Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency, Club Presidents and Rotarians from the 73 Clubs graced the occasion.

 

 

Also speaking at the event, one of the Guest Speakers, the world acclaimed horticulturist, Mr. Andrew Vale of Tolaram Group and The Lagos Free Zone, highlighted the importance of trees, saying; “planting trees improves air quality, reduces air pollution, and illnesses from air pollution. More so, plants produce oxygen and provide shelter, medicine, and many more.”

 

In his own special remarks, Chairman, LUFASI Park and DG Coconut Naija, Dr. Desmond Majekodunmi, said; “the basic fact about the environment is that whatever you sow, you shall reap. The environment will always treat you, the way you treat it.”

 

It is of note that the vision of District 9112 on tree planting for this year is to achieve a safer and cleaner environment through the planting of 10,000 seedlings of coconut, mango, breadfruit, avocado and other related crops that have economic, health and environmental benefits.

 

The event was witnessed and supported by main stakeholders in the industry, agencies and partners which included, Mr Dapo Olakulehin, General Manager, Lagos State Coconut Development Authority (LASCODA), Mr Andrew Vale of Tolaram Group, Channel Scott from Pan African Towers, Azeez Amida Foundation, Telenoetica, The Legend Lifeskills Foundation, Etam Avitat, Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK) , presidents and members of various Rotary Clubs in District 9112 amongst others.

 

Rotary leaders who witnessed the event are PDG Tunji Funsho, PDG Kamoru Omotosho, PDG Omotunde Lawson amongst others.

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Ohanaeze President-General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Is Dead

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July 25, 2024

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The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu is dead.

 

The Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Alex Ogbonnia confirmed the death to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Enugu.

 

“Today is a bad day for Ndigbo. It’s true! Ahaeji aga Mba is gone.

 

“Ohaneze is yet to issue an official statement on the demise of our President General, Chief Iwuanyanwu, but he is gone.

 

Aged 82, Iwuanyanwu was elected the President General of the apex Igbo cultural organisation on April 20, 2023 following the sudden death of his predecessor, Prof George Obiozor.

 

An unconfirmed report said that the octogenarian died in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja on Thursday, July 25.

 

NAN reports that Iwuanyanwu is the second President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to die in office after his predecessor, Prof. George Obiozor, who also died in office.

 

Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu is a prominent Nigerian businessman, politician, and philanthropist known for his significant contributions to various sectors, particularly in the Igbo community

and beyond. (NAN)

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How Top Immigration Officer, Akomolafe Gbenga Michael, Was Arrested, Arraigned For Alleged Drug Trafficking

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2 days ago

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July 25, 2024

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Few years after a top police officer, Abba Kyari, was arrested for alleged drug deals, another top uniform man, Akomolafe Gbenga Michael

has been arrested and charged for alleged drug trafficking.

 

Akomolafe, an Immigration officer serving at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Ikeja in Lagos was arraigned alongside three others before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on a nine-count charge of alleged conspiracy, unlawful possession, import, and dealing in the prohibited substances.

 

He was specifically alleged to have been involved in trafficking eight kilograms of Methamphetamine and 7.60 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, also known as marijuana.

 

Others arraigned on the alleged offences alongside the Immigration officer are; Babatunde Micheal Olufemi said to be a staff of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nwadozie Chris Amaechi, and Nwosu Chinedu Cyril.

 

The prosecutor, Abu Ibrahim, told the court that the four who belonged to a hard drug syndicate were arrested on May 21, 2024, while attempting to smuggle the prohibited substances out of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport Ikeja, Lagos.

 

Ibrahim also told the court that the four men conspired to commit the alleged crimes alongside the duo of Nwadozie Sunday and Echezona Nwosu, based in South Africa.

 

Specifically, the Immigration officer, Akomolafe was slammed with a six-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful import, unlawful possession, and trafficking in the banned substances while the trio of Olufemi said to be a staff of FAAN, Nwadozie, and Nwosu, was slammed with three counts of conspiracy and unlawful importation and possession of the banned drugs.

 

The prosecutor told the court that the alleged criminal act of the four men contravened sections 14 (b), 21 (2)(d), and 20 (1)(c) punishable under sections 11(b) and 20 (2)(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

 

However, while the other three members of the gang pleaded guilty to the charges, the Immigration officer denied the offences and pleaded not guilty to all the counts of the charge.

 

Based on the not-guilty plea of the Immigration officer, his lawyer, Benson Ndakara, pleaded with the court to admit him to bail in the most liberal terms.

 

In his ruling, Justice Osiagor admitted Akomolafe to bail in the sum of N10 million with one surety.

 

The judge also ordered that the surety must be a civil servant of an assistant director cadre in the employment of Lagos State or the Federal Government.

 

The trial was then adjourned to November 7, 2024. Based on their guilty plea, the court convicted and sentenced the trio of Babatunde Micheal Olufemi, Nwadozie Chris Amaechi, and Nwosu Chinedu Cyril, to four years on each count. The sentence is to run concurrently.

 

The three convicts were also given the option of paying a fine of N2 million each on each count.

 

In a related development, The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has suspended Akomolafe over his alleged involvement in multiple drug trafficking offences and his arraignment before a Federal High Court in Lagos.

 

A press statement on Wednesday by the spokesperson of NIS, Kenneth Udo, said the suspension was imposed on the erring officer as the Service awaited the judgement

of the court for further action..

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