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

Human Trafficking: Police Rescue 40 Ghanaians, Arrest Three In Ondo

Published

3 hours ago

July 5, 2025

Editor

The Ondo State Police Command says it has successfully rescued one David Angerinya, and 39 other Ghanaian nationals allegedly trafficked into Nigeria under false pretences.

This is contained in a statement signed and made available to newsmen on Saturday in Akure by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Olushola Ayanlade.

Ayanlade said that the victims were rescued through the operatives of Tactical Intelligence Response Squad (TIRS), Akure, while three suspects were arrested.

He said the operation followed a formal petition forwarded through the Interpol Liaison Office, Force Headquarters Abuja, requesting urgent police intervention over a case of transnational human trafficking involving a Ghanaian citizen.

The spokesperson explained that the victim, David Angerinya, was allegedly lured to Nigeria in 2024 with the promise of employment by an unidentified associate.

“Acting swiftly on the report, detectives from the TIRS, led by DSP Lekan Alabi, commenced a targeted investigation

“Subsequently, three principal suspects identified as Hayford Nyamekye, Awine Alex and Kojo Felix were apprehended, while the victim was successfully rescued during the operation.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects are part of a larger transnational trafficking syndicate that specialise in deceiving unsuspecting individuals, particularly from neighboring West African countries.

“The victims travelled to Nigeria with false assurances of lucrative job opportunities and visa arrangements to Canada and other Western nations,” he said.

Ayanlade also explained that “39 other Ghanaian nationals were discovered to have fallen victim to the same network.”

According to him, many of them were found without valid travel documents, while those who had, presented expired ones.

“All arrested suspects are currently in police custody and are cooperating with ongoing investigations.

“Furthermore, efforts are ongoing to apprehend the owners and caretakers of the buildings where the victims were harboured.

“The building owners and caretakers may have had knowledge of, or directly facilitated the illegal activities of the syndicate.

“The Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Adebowale Lawal, has reiterated the unwavering commitment of the command to combating human trafficking and all forms of transnational organised crime.

“The CP urges members of the public to remain vigilant and report all suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency contact lines,” Ayanlade said.

(NAN)

Metro

Fuel Station Manager, Three Others Arrested For Robbery

Published

3 hours ago

July 5, 2025

Editor

The Lagos Police Command has arrested four suspects, including the manager of a fuel station, for allegedly being part of a gang of armed robbers terrorising some areas in the state.

A police source told The PUNCH that the suspects, identified as Noble Saint Neokoro (44) Batomie Samson (48) Abubakar Ali (47) and Bitrus Ibrahim (42) were apprehended in the Ejigbo area of the state.

The source added that their arrest followed a tip-off and discreet investigation by the police.

“The manager of the filling station is among the arrested suspects, while the owner of the station is said to be unaware of the alleged criminal activities. The suspects have allegedly confessed to being a gang of armed robbers,” the source disclosed.

When contacted, the command spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the development.

He said, “The operation was carried out by the Tactical Squad Hawk of the command. Four suspects were arrested including a fuel station manager. The owner of the fuel station denied knowledge of their activities. NUPENG also played a vital role in apprehending the manager.”

Hundeyin, however, added that the operation was a follow-up to the arrest of a notorious gang specialised in hijacking fuel and goods trucks in the state.

The command on June 28 confirmed that seven suspects were nabbed while a fuel tanker loaded with stolen Premium Motor Spirit was recovered.

The driver of the hijacked tanker was said to have reported the incident at the Surulere Police Division.

“Swift police response and discreet investigation led to the recovery of the tanker, which was found empty at Orile, and the arrest of the suspects at a filling station in Ejigbo, where the stolen fuel was being offloaded.

“The suspects, identified as Izuchukwu Nwanoruo, Kayode Falodun, Ojo Ayodele, Ayomide Thompson, Ahmed Saliu, Igbalaye Kareem, and Babatunde Ahmed, are currently assisting the police with ongoing investigations. A fuel tanker used to transport the stolen fuel has also been recovered as an exhibit,” a statement by Hundeyin read.

The police image maker added that the state Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, commended the operatives for their diligence and assured Lagosians of the command’s commitment to ensuring safety of lives and property.

“He encouraged citizens to continue providing timely information to aid police efforts in maintaining security across the state. The suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations,” the statement added.
(PUNCH)

Metro

Police Arrest Cleric Over Alleged Defilement Of Underage Girl In Osun

Published

3 hours ago

July 5, 2025

Editor

Osun State Police Command on Saturday confirmed the arrest of an Islamic cleric, identified simply as Kadiri, for allegedly having carnal knowledge of a minor in Ede, Osun State.

The incident that occurred at Babasanya-Araka Ede led to a protest by an angry mob, who had attacked the suspect after he was seized.

The command spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, while speaking with The PUNCH, said police operatives were deployed to the scene after the matter was reported.

“The matter was reported, and we deployed operatives to the scene. When our men got to the scene, the Amotekun men who arrested him handed him over to us.

“So, he is in our custody already. But we want the Division to investigate before the matter is transferred to SCID.

“That is all that is available for now,” Ojelabi said.

Amotekun spokesperson, Idowu Yusuf, while giving more information about the incident, said, “The suspect is an Imam of a mosque.

“He also has an Arabic school in the area where he is teaching students Arabic. Further investigation is being done by the police.”

On how the suspect was arrested, a resident of Babasanya-Araka, who spoke on a condition of anonymity, said the victim was discovered bleeding, prompting her mother to inquire from her what had happened as she had gone missing a few hours earlier.

“The victim, about 8 years old, was missing for some hours on Saturday, and her mother was already looking for her.

“When she was found, she was crying and bleeding.

“She was taken to the hospital in Ede, where she was checked,” the resident said.
(PUNCH)