Metro

How Lagos Building Collapse Render Over 3,000 Homeless

Published

2 years ago

October 8, 2023

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Following a building collapse in Onamo Agboye Estate complex in Oduntan Street, Kosofe area of Ketu, Lagos, 3,000 inhabitants of the complex including women and children have been thrown into harsh conditions.

The incident, which led to the demolition of the building by officials of the Lagos State government, has rendered many residents homeless.

Vanguard learnt that the estate had blocks A to M and each block had a three or four-storey building with about 50 rooms each.

A visit to the scene of the building collapse, several tenants were seen hopelessly standing while others tried to park a few of their belongings.

While some tenants were seen selling off their household items like refridgerators and fans, the properties of other tenants were littered all over the streets.

Speaking to Vanguard, a 52-year-old teacher, Nwakunor Caesar, who occupied a two-room self-contained apartment in one of the buildings, said: “I live here with my wife and children. On Saturday afternoon, I was at the balcony when it was raining. I noticed that some tenants started running because a part of block A had collapsed. The collapse caused tension in the estate and some of the tenants ran to our block for safety.

“When fire service officials came, they discovered that it was not a fire outbreak. They alerted officials of Lagos State Building Control Agency because of the vibration. On Sunday, more blocks collapsed including the apartment of the landlord. It fell on so many people and killed a man who came to help a tenant salvage some of their properties. A whole block collapsed on him, killing him in the process. Other people sustained injuries. Officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency who were at the scene had to stop people from entering the building to pick up their things.

“I noticed that something was wrong with the building immediately I paid and parked into the building six years ago. We have issues with water and nothing seems to be working in the estate. When the house developed issues years ago, the landlord, Chief Agboye, began to take palliative measures despite advise from professionals that the house was sinking.

“The load the building carried was more than the building itself. The foundation is weak too. The population strength is too much. The landlord knew that the place was faulty and he refused to do the needful. Can you see what his inactions have caused us? Unfortunately for me, a few days ago I went to pay my house rent. Now, my family is stranded and homeless. He has rendered over 3,000 people homeless and most of these people have no money.

“Thieves are stealing people’s properties, I have lost my complete set of pots, teaching board and so many other things. If you keep your property and rush back to pick up another; on coming back, you will not see it again. Some will come to help, but in the real sense, they are not coming to help but to steal and sell your belongings.”

Lamenting, Amaka, a mother of four said: “We just packed into this building about two months ago. Yesterday, my children and I slept in a church building. As it is, we are stranded and homeless.

“And many of our properties have been lost. Some people are selling their properties to eat. A neighbour just sold his refridgerator for N10,000. You can’t be squatting in another person’s house with children and household items.”

Calling on government, another tenant, Chinedu, said: “I need help seriously. I have a wife and children. Apart from the children I have, we have a premature baby, and my wife who had stroke is just recovering. It is not quite long she came back from the hospital, and now, this tragedy. Since the incident happened, my family and I have been squatting with relatives.

“Government needs to help provide temporary shelter or give financial support because many of us have nowhere to sleep. Some are even sleeping in churches. Like me, many of the residents are also confused. I am having issues evacuating some of my properties, I don’t know what to do.”

Reacting to the development, the landlord’s lawyer, Efe Kwakpovwe, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, said: “Not all part of the building is defective. Although you can see some parts are shifting, and a bit bent, some other parts are not defective. They should bring down the defective part of the building and allow chief to restructure it back.

“I went to the Lagos State Building Control Agency to see the general manager, but he was unavailable. A colleague there told me, the process of building collapse entails forfeiture.

“What is happening to the residents who are stranded at the moment is so unfortunate. There is nothing anybody can do about that. It is a pity actually.”

VANGUARD

Metro

Sowore Arraigned Over Alleged Cybercrime

Published

3 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Editor

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday arraigned politician and online publisher Omoyele Sowore before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged cybercrime offences.

Sowore, a former presidential candidate, faced a five-count charge accusing him of defaming President Bola Tinubu by calling him a criminal in posts on X and Facebook. The DSS claims that his actions violate the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, as well as the Criminal Code Act.

At the hearing, Justice Mohammed Umar granted Sowore bail on self-recognition. However, the court imposed strict conditions, barring him from making any statements capable of inciting the public or undermining national security. The judge warned that any violation of these conditions would lead to immediate revocation of his bail.

Justice Umar noted that Sowore, who previously contested for the presidency, was already under bail conditions with his international passport held by the court. He said these factors justified granting him bail without a monetary surety.

The arraignment on Tuesday came after two earlier attempts were unsuccessful. DSS counsel, Akinolu Kehinde (SAN), attributed the delays to legal obstacles introduced by Sowore’s defence team.

Sowore pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, also filed a fresh bail application during the proceedings, which the court considered before ruling.

Two other defendants — X Inc. (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Inc. — are listed in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025. The DSS claims that these companies aided Sowore in publishing the posts allegedly containing defamatory statements against the president.

The case is the latest in a series of legal battles involving Sowore, who has in the past faced arrests and charges over his activism and online publications.

The Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, under which Sowore was charged, criminalises the online publication of false statements that can harm individuals or public institutions. The law also empowers the government to hold social media companies accountable if they facilitate the spread of such content.

Sowore’s arraignment has drawn reactions on social media, with supporters describing the charges as politically motivated, while others argue that public figures must exercise caution in their statements online.

Metro

Alleged Cybercrime: Court Grants Sowore Bail

Published

3 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Editor

Justice Mohammed Umar of the Abuja Federal High Court, on Tuesday, granted former presidential candidate and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, bail on self-recognition, cautioning him to refrain from making any utterances that could incite the public against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Sowore’s bail followed his arraignment by the Department of State Services (DSS) before the court on a five-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime.

In the five-count charge, Sowore is accused of allegedly making derogatory remarks about President Tinubu on his social media handles.

Sowore, who is the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, pleaded not guilty to the charges after they were read to him.

Earlier in the proceedings, his counsel, Marshall Abubakar, had raised a motion challenging the competence of the suit, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction.

The prosecution objected, stating they had only just been served with the processes and needed time to respond.

In a short ruling, Justice Umar held that the objection on jurisdiction was not ready for hearing because the prosecution was served that morning, adding that the defendant needed to give them adequate time to file a counter-affidavit.

He then directed that the charges be read to the defendant.

When the charge was read, Sowore pleaded not guilty; his counsel applied for bail on self-recognition. The prosecution, however, opposed the application, arguing that Sowore posed a flight risk.

Justice Umar, in ruling on the bail request, granted Sowore bail on self-recognition and adjourned the matter to January 19, 2026, for trial.

Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in 2019, was accused of contravening the provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Criminal Code Act by calling President Bola Tinubu a criminal

The two other defendants listed in the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, are X Incorp (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Incorp.

Metro

Delta: Suspected Kidnapper Killed In Gun Battle With Police

Published

9 hours ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

A suspected kidnapper has been killed during a gun battle with operatives of the Delta State Police Command in collaboration with Community Volunteers in Obiaruku Forest.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer,SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday.

“Operatives of the Command State Anti-Cult Unit (SACU), in collaboration with community volunteers, were on intensive patrol when they received credible intelligence that suspected kidnappers were mobilising within the Obiaruku forest to carry out an attack.

“Acting swiftly on the information, the operatives advanced towards the location to forestall the planned criminal activity,” the statement said.

According to Edafe, on approaching the area, the suspects opened fire from multiple directions in a bid to repel the team.

“The operatives responded with superior firepower, leading to the death of one suspect, while others escaped into the forest with various degrees of injuries.

“One AK-47 rifle with forty-two rounds of live ammunition, nine mobile phones, and charms were recovered,” the statement added.