Metro

Developers Defraud 70 House Seekers, Victims Faint

Published

3 years ago

June 28, 2022

Two developers, Oluwasegun Adewara, and one Okeowo, have gone into hiding after allegedly defrauding no fewer than 70 prospective tenants at Lawanson, in the Surulere area of Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the prospective tenants visited the building, which was under construction, to inspect its premises and afterwards made payments to the developers.

After confirming the payments, it was learnt that the suspects issued receipts to the victims and set aside separate dates for them to take ownership of the apartments.

Things, however, took another turn when the people got to the house on 16, Zamba Street, Lawason, on the specified dates given by the developers but discovered that the number of prospective tenants outnumbered the apartments in the one-storey building.

One of the victims, Jacob Dunya, said the house had just 14 flats, adding that 120 prospective tenants paid to the developers, who disappeared after their fraudulent acts were uncovered.

The Plateau State indigene said, “I paid N600,000 for a mini-flat for a year directly to the account of the developer, Oluwasegun Olanrewaju Adewara, on April 26, 2022. When I visited the house, I noticed that the work at the site was less as it was left for them to fix only the doors and the windows.

“So, they gave last Monday to collect keys to my apartment. But when I got there, the developer told me the place was not ready and said I should return on Monday, June 20, 2022. When I got there, I saw them fixing the keys to the doors and I was told to come back again this week Tuesday.

“I never knew that last Thursday and Friday, people had come around to fight them to access their apartments. I quickly rushed down on Friday and noticed that there were hoodlums around asking people to pay N100,000 so they could break down the padlocks used in locking some of the doors so they could have access to the apartments.

“The developers are nowhere to be found and we have yet to hear from the owners of the land and their lawyers. Over 120 people paid for the 14 flats in this building and more people are still coming. The money people paid will be about N60m because some people made advance payments for five years. They also gave us receipts. The matter was reported at the Itire Police Station.”

Another victim, Jenifer Ihemeje, while lamenting the incident, said some prospective tenants cried and fainted out of shock.

The entrepreneur said, “I paid N650,000 in April to Mr Okeowo wanna and others, but they kept postponing till June 14, 2022, when I sent a text message to threaten them. It was another person who also paid for a flat that informed me that about 10 people paid for a single flat.

“The person said a lot of people gathered at the house on Friday over the incident. So, I rushed down there on Saturday and met people crying, shouting and some people even fainted.”

A widow, Love Chidi, said she paid N250,000 for a single room in January and left for her husband’s burial in Abia State.

“But when I returned, the developers said they had not completed work on the building. My husband died in December and we were sent out of the house we were staying because the building had cracked and was likely to collapse. So, I came here, paid the developer and left for the burial only to return to face this war. There are over 117 people stranded here,” she added.

The receipts of some of the aggrieved house seekers seen by our correspondent indicated that the developers operated with a business name, Sheedison Construction Co.

A screenshot confirming payment into Oluwasegun Adewara’s Access Bank account was also seen by our correspondent.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the incident, said the command had launched a manhunt for the fleeing suspects.

“But they are not 120; they are 70 people. The developer collected money for 15 flats and absconded,” he added.

In 2021, a developer, Ahmed Ayinde, was arrested by men of the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly defrauding no fewer than 100 prospective tenants of about N500m in the Olowo Ira area of the state.

Similarly, in 2019, over 66 prospective tenants got stranded as a landlord, Olatunji Joseph, in connivance with a developer, Aderonke Olaleye, allegedly swindled them out of over N16m paid for rents for five flats in a newly-constructed one-storey building on Abeni Close, Asa Estate, in the Gbagada area of the state.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said, “We have the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority Law 2022. The matter is described under that law and it is a very serious offence for anybody to collect money from people and deny them accommodation.

“But the problem is that our people don’t make enquiries; anybody who puts a board outside to say ‘To let’ or to say that he is a developer, people will just gather money and give him and the person will disappear. There are some of them who have no addresses but only telephone numbers, so this law makes it compulsory for anybody who wants to practise in that space to register as a practitioner. And once you register with the agency, should you collect money from anybody, it will be very easy to grab you.

“Now, we have a team that is going round on enforcement. Many people have faced the law for duping people of their hard-earned money and the agency has recovered money for people and resolved many disputes.”

PUNCH

Metro

Anambra Lady, Lover Arrested For Staging Own Kidnap

Published

17 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested two suspects for faking a kidnap and recovered the sum of ₦1.2million, being part of the ransom earlier paid by the supposed kidnapped victim’s family members.

According to a statement released by the spokesman for the command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, on Saturday, the suspects, identified as Nmesoma Nwoye, female, aged 23 years, and Chibuike Ogbu, male, aged 24 years, were arrested after intelligence-led operations uncovered that the supposed victim conspired with Chibuike (her boyfriend) to stage her own abduction.

Ikenga said that the suspects initially demanded ₦15million ransom, and after negotiation, ₦3million was transferred into the victim’s account.

He said following the arrest of the suspects, the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ikioye Orutugu, expressed deep concern over the rising cases of moral decadence in the society, adding that the suspects were arrested by police operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu.

The statement read, “The suspects identified as Nmesoma Josephine Nwoye, female, aged 23 years, and Chibuike Ogbu, male, aged 24 years, were arrested after intelligence-led operations uncovered that the supposed victim conspired with Chibuike (her boyfriend) to stage her own abduction.

“The operatives also recovered the sum of ₦1,200,000, being part of the ransom earlier paid by the girl’s family members.

“Further information reveals that the suspects demanded ₦15million ransom, and after negotiation, ₦3million was transferred into the victim’s account.

“Reacting to the development, CP Orutugu described the incident as a reflection of the rising moral decay in the society, where young people are increasingly resorting to criminality for selfish gains.”

According to him, the CP urged parents, guardians, and religious leaders to intensify efforts in inculcating discipline, integrity, and sound values in their children and wards.

“The CP also warned youths against engaging in self-destructive ventures, stressing that the long arm of the law will always catch up with criminals, no matter how cleverly disguised their schemes may be,” the statement added.

Metro

35-year-old Man Electrocuted In Ebonyi

Published

18 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

A 35-year-old man identified as Peter Ugochukwu Odom, a native of Oyinkwa village in Amachi Community, was reportedly electrocuted while erecting a pole at Nkwoagu in Abakaliki Local Government Area of the State.

It was gathered that the deceased, who worked with Ibortic Concrete Investment Ltd, was part of a team contracted to install new poles in the area.

It was in the course of mounting the poles that he accidentally touched a live high-tension wire, leading to his instant electrocution.

Confirming the incident, the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Peter Ibor Chukwuemeka, who also disclosed that the victim was his younger brother, expressed deep grief over the loss.

According to him, the team had been invited by a customer to deliver and mount a concrete pole near Nkwoagu.

“We were called for the job. The customer assured my boys that power had already been disconnected from the high-tension line in the area. Unfortunately, that information was false.

“While attempting to erect the pole, it mistakenly touched the high-tension wire, and my brother got electrocuted instantly,” he explained.

He said that the victim was first rushed to the military clinic within the cantonment before being transferred to the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital (AE-FUTHA II), where doctors confirmed him dead.

Mr. Chukwuemeka lamented that the deceased, who had worked with him for over three years, was a diligent staff and the breadwinner of his young family.

The victim’s uncle, Mr. Ezeode Samuel, confirmed the incident and described the incident as a great loss to the family, adding that burial arrangements would be decided after consultations.

Metro

Police Foil Robbery On Sagamu-Benin Expressway, Recover Stolen Tricycle In Ogun

Published

18 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have foiled an armed robbery attempt along the Sagamu–Benin Expressway, killing one suspect and rescuing passengers trapped in the attack.

The incident occurred when a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number ENU 371 XJ, driven by one Mba Kingsley Chukwuemeka, was ambushed by a gang of about ten armed robbers at Imere Junction.

Spokesman for the Command said a patrol team led by ASP Ayodele Ajao responded swiftly, engaging the hoodlums in a gun battle. One of the robbers was neutralised while others escaped with gunshot wounds.

The rescued passengers and the driver were taken to safety, while the corpse of the deceased suspect was deposited at the Ijebu-Ode General Hospital morgue for autopsy. The Command added that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects.

In a related development, the police recovered a suspected stolen tricycle at Itele during a routine stop-and-search.

The tricycle, with registration number APP 171 OM and chassis number MB6M14PA0N4L10498, was abandoned by its rider, who fled on sighting the operatives. It has since been taken to the station as the investigation continues to trace the rightful owner.

Also, two suspects, Adebayo Adeleke and Ibrahim Taiwo, were arrested in Idiroko for allegedly stealing a police exhibit. The duo, reportedly caught removing a revolving light from a Hilux vehicle parked at the station, were handed over by one Oyeyemi Omotayo.

Police disclosed that the suspects confessed to the crime during interrogation, while the exhibit was recovered. The case is currently under investigation.