The Nation Newspaper

Tag: property

  • Tears as couple loses property to suspected land speculators

    Suspected land speculators recently demolished property owned by a retiree, Samuel Adegboro, in the Agbado area of Ifo, Ogun State.

    It was learnt that Adegboro, who currently suffers from stroke, bought landed property in Odo Oba area of Agbado in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, from one Baba Oyeogun in 1983.

    The Nation gathered that the perpetrators fled before the arrival of the police who were invited by Adegboro’s wife, Victoria.

    Victoria said the building was not completed due to her husband’s illness, which started about 16 years ago.

    She said the land speculators had recently tried in vain to take over the building.

    She said: ”We purchased the land from Baba Oyeogun in 1983, and there is a receipt and photograph taken with Baba Oyeogun when the purchase was being consummated. We would have completed the building but for my husband’s illness which started about 16 years ago after he retired from active service.

    “There was a time some landlords in the community alerted us that some land speculators had invaded our property and we frustrated the invasion.

    “In the evening of last Monday, we received a call that some people had demolished our property. The next day, I sighted a caterpillar operator when I got to the site, and he told me that one Sunday Oyeogun contracted him to pull the house down.

    “We immediately left to report the matter to the police and by the time we returned with some policemen, the caterpillar operator had abandoned his equipment and disappeared into thin air. The caterpillar was, however, demobilised by policemen who accompanied us to the scene.”

    The Nation gathered that Adegboro’s condition has deteriorated since he received news of the demolition of his property.

    “My husband’s health has worsened since he got wind of the incident and we are still battling to salvage his deteriorating condition,” said Victoria. “We are calling on those in authority to help us prevent these heartless people from stripping us naked by forcibly taking over our property.”

    A resident who asked not to be named said the activities of land speculators in the community had lately assumed a worrisome dimension. “They (land speculators) have been terrorising innocent landlords in this neighbourhood with impunity. Law enforcement agencies must curb their nefarious activities before lawlessness leads to complete breakdown of law and order.”

    Speaking with The Nation on the telephone, Chief Sunday Oyeogun denied involvement in the controversial demolition of the building. He said: ”I am not in any way responsible for the controversial demolition of the said property. It is true that the woman’s (Victoria’s) husband bought landed property from my late father, but a family called Akinola has secured a judgment over vast landed property in the community, including the particular property that was demolished.

    “As the traditional ruler of the community, I even went to the site and questioned the caterpillar operator who said the new owner of the property sent him to demolish the building. However, another unidentified man, whom I also met at the site, told me that the building was being demolished in order to discourage people from dumping refuse there and to stave off the spread of Lassa fever. So, there are conflicting stories about the motive for the demolition of the property.”

    “It is unfortunate that my name is being mentioned in a matter that I knew nothing about. I have been invited to Agbado Police Division and I have told the police what I am telling you now. The wife of the man who bought the property did not report the matter to me but I went to the site to ascertain the veracity of the news of the demolition because my family name was being mentioned in the matter. I don’t have anything to do with the destruction of the building.”

     

  • Court orders seizure of Tompolo’s multi-billion naira property

    Court orders seizure of Tompolo’s multi-billion naira property

    • Boat, dockyard, driving school, houses may be auctioned after three months

    Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday ordered the forfeiture of multi-billion naira properties belonging to a former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo.

    The judge made this order following Tompolo’s refusal to appear in court over a 40-count charge of money laundering and stealing of about N34 billion belonging to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

    The charges were brought against him and nine others by the Economic and Finanacial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Properties to be forfeited include: a River Crew Change Boat named MUHA – 15; the property known as “Tompolo Dockyard” by the end of Enerhen Road, Effurun, Warri and the property known as “Tompolo Yard”, at the end of Chevron Clinic Road, next to Next Oil, Edjeba, Warri.

    Others are: A Diving School at Kurutie, Escravos River; the property known as “Tompolo House” at Oporaza Town, opposite the Palace and any other property discovered by the EFCC, moveable and immoveable, belonging to Tompolo.

    Justice Buba had on January 14 issued a bench warrant against the Delta State native and ordered his arrest for failing to honour a court summons dated January 12 in respect of the alleged N34bn fraud.

    The nine charged alongside Tompolo are: Patrick Akpobolokemi, Global West Vessel, Odimiri Electrical Ltd, Kime Engozu, Boloboere Ltd, Rex Elem, Destre Ltd, Gregory Mbonu and Captain Warrendi Enisuoh.

    The suspects allegedly diverted N34 billion which accrued from the public-private partnership agreement between NIMASA and Global West Vessel Specialist Limited for personal use.
    At the resumed hearing of the matter Friday, counsel to EFCC, Festus Keyamo told the court that the warrant of arrest issued by the court has not been excuted despite the “best efforts” of all the security agencies in the country.

    He stated that all the nation’s security agencies were involved in the search of Tompolo but his whereabouts are not known yet.

    Consequently, he sought the leave of court to amend the charge by removing the name of Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo from the charge, so that the trial of other accused persons could commence.

    Keyamo also drew the attention of the court to a Motion Exparte dated February 18, 2016 praying the court for an order authorising EFCC to seize properties belonging to the former militant leader.

    But, virtually all the defence counsels opposed the motion exparte on the grounds that they were not served with copies of the motion.

    Dr. Joseph Nwobike SAN (counsel to the 2nd defendant), Mr. Wale Akoni SAN (counsel to 7th and 8th defendants) along with other defence lawyers argued that it is necessary for them to have copies of the motion exparte in the interest of justice and fairness.

    However, Justice Buba ruled that a motion exparte needs not to be served on parties, adding that the motion is specifically directed to the first accused (Tompolo) who was neither in court nor represented by a lawyer.

    Moving the motion brought pursuant to Sections 80 and 81 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, Keyamo prayed the court to order the forfeiture of properties belonging to Tompolo pending the time he would appear in court.

    He stated that after three months, the court can order the properties to be auctioned if he (Tompolo) did not make himself available in court.

    In his ruling, Justice Buba held that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 empowers the court to seize properties of an accused who refused to face trial.

    The court recalled that even though Tompolo refused to appear in court he briefed his lawyers and through them sought to vacate the order of his arrest.

    Consequently, he ordered forfeiture of properties belonging to Tompolo pending the time he chooses to appear in court.

    The following assets belonging to Tompolo were attached and will be forfeited; Property at No. 1 Chief Agbamu Close DDPA Extension Warri (Effurun), Delta State, among others.

    Justice Buba however refused to attach all the limited liability companies listed by the EFCC until their proof of ownership is revealed to the court.

    The limited liability companies include; Global West Vessel Specialist Limited, Odimiri Electrical Limited and Kime Engozu, Boloboere Property and Estate Limited, Rex Elem, Destre Consult Limited, Gregory Mbonu and Captain Warredi Enisuoh respectively.

    EFCC had in an affidavit in support of the motion exparte deposed to by one Adah John Adah, a litigation officer in the law firm of Festus Keyamo, stated that Tompolo was invited by the EFCC on several occasions to come and answer to the allegations of fraudulent activities levelled against him which was uncovered during investigation.

    The commission stated that Tompolo was charged before the court to answer to charges levelled against him but he persistently refused and failed to honour the several invitations extended to him.

    He added that the court had on January 12, 2016 issued a warrant of arrest against Tompolo, who absconded and concealed himself from all security forces in the country to frustrate the execution of the warrant of arrest.

    The deponent added that rather than present himself to the court, Tompolo engaged the services of Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, who filed a motion dated January 27, 2016 to set aside the warrant of arrest.

    He added that the said motion was dismissed by the court on February 8, 2016.

    He stated that since the order for the arrest was issued against Tompolo, the combined team of the Nigerian police and the military have been combing the creeks and the entire nation for his arrest, but he continued to abscond and conceal himself.

    He stated that EFCC operatives have carried out investigations and received intelligence report to the effect that the stated properties belong to Tompolo.

    The matter has been adjourned till March 22 for hearing.

  • Wada denies auctioning property

    Wada denies auctioning property

    •’APC should prove allegation’

    Kogi State Governor Idris Wada yesterday denied the allegation by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that he wanted to auction government property at ridiculous prices.

    He said his administration was not an auction house.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Jacob Edi told The Nation on the phone that the allegation by the APC Chairman, Alhaji Haddy Ametuo, was untrue and an attempt to heat up the polity.

    Ametuo alleged that the outgoing governor attempted to auction government property and award phony contracts on the eve of his departure.

    He warned government appointees and civil servants against aiding such alleged action.

    But Edi said the APC chairman was playing to the gallery by making a wild and an unsubstantiated allegation. He challenged him to substantiate his claim.

    Said he: “We want to react to the story published in The Nation of January 23. The allegation contained in the story, among others, was that the governor is auctioning government property at a ridiculous price. This is totally non-existent.

    “The Kogi State government, under Governor Idris Wada, is not an auction house. It is ridiculous for anybody, in the name of wanting to play to the gallery, to make wild and spurious allegations.

    “To say that money is being squandered is not true. Everybody knows that salaries have not been paid in the state in the last three months because the allocation is not adequate.

    “I don’t know where they got the information from that money is being squandered. We challenge them that rather than run to the press to make spurious allegations, they should come out with facts and figures.

    “Our advice to the APC is that rather than cause crisis in the polity, what they should do is to concentrate on making sure that the illegality that is about to happen by swearing-in a governor, who went into an election without a valid deputy as stipulated by the law, is addressed. We hereby deny the allegation.”

  • Ajimobi frowns at ‘give away’ sale of govt property

    Ajimobi frowns at ‘give away’ sale of govt property

    Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has decried the sale of government land and quarters by his predecessors.

    He said they did not consider the state’s interest.

    The governor spoke at the weekend’s inauguration of the first phase of a multi-million Naira housing estate in Agodi, Ibadan, the state capital.

    He accused his predecessors of selling choice property to their cronies at ridiculous prices.

    Ajimobi pledged that his administration would embark on infrastructural revolution.

    The estate, Olive Court, is located at Agodi Government Reserved Area (GRA).

    It will accommodate 45 duplexes, with the first phase of 15 buildings completed .

    The estate has its independent power supply, sewage system and water supply.

    It is a partnership between the government and UPDC, a subsidiary of United African Company (UAC).

    The governor said the estate was a further demonstration of his administration’s commitment to the development of the state through necessary social and economic infrastructure.

    His words: “This edifice is one of the legacy projects of this administration.

    “It is the actualisation of our dream for the physical infrastructural development of Oyo State.

    “This state must continue to be developed.

    “We are committed to actualising the development of this state.

    “A good leader must not only have dreams but must ensure that the dreams are actualised.”

    Ajimobi said the land had only four buildings designated as Governor’s Guest Houses.

    Instead of selling off choice government property at low prices, he said the governors should have considered the state’s interest.

    The governor added: “This is unfortunate. Even the large expanse of land used for the estate had only four houses designated as Governor’s Guest Houses.

    “How many guests is a governor expected to have that will occupy four houses?

    “So instead of selling four quarters for N20 million each, we said why don’t we look for a firm with quality to convert them into a modern estate to generate revenue for government; hence our resolve to engage UPDC to partner us in our housing revolution drive.

    “Let me invite more investors to embark on housing projects in other areas identified across the state to take care of our housing deficit.”

  • Labour to government: introduce property tax

    • Threatens showdown with NASS over jumbo pay

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday advised both the federal and state governments to impose taxes on porperties in the country as a way of boosting internally generated revenue (IGR) and cushioning the effects of falling oil prices in the international market.

    The workers also lamented that the rich hardly pay taxes in the country, urging the government to step up its game in the area of tax collection.

    Reviewing activities of last year in Abuja, its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba lamented that there are several estates built all over the country unoccupied, adding that such estates were proceeds of illicit deals.

    He said: “Our business elite and multinational companies are notorious for evading taxes. The federal and states revenue services need to step up their game by identifying those that had not been paying taxes and get them to do so efficiently in the New Year.

    “Government needs to impose property tax on the several hundreds of flashy estates and other structures in Abuja and several state capitals across the country. Some of these structures have laid unoccupied for years, making us to believe that they are properties developed with laundered funds.”

    He lamented that it was regrettable that the effort of the leadership of the Senate to review downwards their wages and allowances was shut down by the entire Senate, adding that business in the National Assembly, as in virtually all other tiers of government, is continuing as usual with the political elite not willing to make any sacrifices that will affect their  comfort zone.

    Wabba said if the legislators failed to reduce their jumbo pay, the Congress will mobilise mass protest against them.

    He said: “It is shocking that our lawmakers at the national level – Senators and members of the House of Representatives – would continue with the bizarre ostentatious standards they have set for themselves, for spending our collective patrimony.

    “The planned purchase of 496 exotic cars costing several billions of naira, after getting car allowances, is not only outrageous but a mark of the manifest insensitivity of our legislators in the period of severe famine in the land.

    “How can we, poor working people, millions of the unemployed and the poor masses, be expected to tighten our belts, while those supposedly elected by us to manage and provide succour for our collective wellbeing intend to live like emperors at a time that our economy is facing serious challenges?

    “We call on the leadership of the National Assembly to remove this item from the budget for the National Assembly, and in the spirit of accountability and transparency, begin to make public the budget of the legislature. Failure to do this, NLC will in the New Year mobilise mass action against the National Assembly on these issues.”

    The NLC said the 50 kobo reduction in the price of petrol announced by the government is a gimmick and an International Monetary Fund (IMF) inspired fuel price deregulation which will, in the long run, hurt the people.

    Wabba said while the NLC commends the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration at getting the refineries capacity utilisation levels increased, he urged the government to be more creative in expanding local refining capacity by building decentralised modular refineries.

    He said: “The current 50 kobo reduction in fuel price is obviously a gimmick. The pathway of international financial institutions which the current fuel subsidy removal act is taking will lead to increases in fuel pump price and attendant worsening of the hardships of poor working people.

    “The state of Texas alone in the United States of America, has 26 refineries with a capacity of refining 4.72 million barrels per day. As a national priority, we must work to establish without any further dragging of our feet, modern refineries that will provide 100 per cent of our national needs.

    “What we are against is the IMF-inspired fuel price deregulation.”

    The NLC said the fate of the Chibok girls will always remain a litmus test of the victory of the state in the war against Boko Haram and expressed concern that there is no information about their possible whereabouts, asking the government to redouble its efforts at finding the school girls.

    The Congress lamented that certain political and judicial office holders who are far less than 18,000 persons are earning an astonishing N1.126 trillion annually, pointing out that it is unfortunate that the National Assembly have refused to reduce their allowances as a way of reducing the cost of governance.

    Wabba lamented that only eight of the 36 states of the federation are complying with the provisions of the Contributory Pension Act by paying the Retirement Savings of their workers, while another six states have commenced funding of their retirement benefit bond redemption fund accounts.

  • ‘Don’t tamper with community property’

    ‘Don’t tamper with community property’

    The Onikogbo of Ikogbo, Ogun State, Oba Nurudeen Osoja, has called on the government and law enforcement agencies to help retrieve the community’s land from thugs.

    According to him, all the expanse of land in Ikogbo in Ado- Odo Ota Local Government Area belongs to the community.

    He said the community had been exercising unfettered right of ownership on the land without any hindrance.

    Osoja said: “We have deemed it fit to bring to the notice of authorities of a dangerous encroachment on our communal land by some land grabbers.

    “The group is led by a man, Mutairu Obanla, popularly known as Alosho.

    “Members of the group have been threatening several communities where real estate ventures thrive.”

    The monarch added that Alosho had been sending hoodlums into the town to cripple the activities of the once peaceful Awori settlement.

    He said hoodlums have taken the law in their hands by assaulting residents.

    “They have revisited their continuous treacherous act. It took the intervention of the palace to bring normalcy back to the town.

     “It is pertinent to send this constructive notice to all and sundry and guide against the breakdown of law and order.”

  • Oil spill fire destroys property worth several millions in Delta

    Property worth several millions of naira was yesterday destroyed in an oil spill fire in Effurun, Delta State.

    The fire, which destroyed several cars and commodity shops inside the mechanic village, was a few meters away from the scene of a similar fire at the Mammy Market of 3 Battalion, Effunrun, about three weeks ago.

    The Nation gathered that the fire started when an electrical spark near a spot where a punctured pipeline had spilled crude oil the previous day.

    Although officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) were said to have visited the spill site with three trucks on Thursday to suck up the spilled oil, the efforts of the corporation could not prevent another disaster.

    As at the time of filing this report, fire service officials were succeeding in containing the spread of the fire.

    The situation created a massive road traffic lockdown, as outgoing and incoming vehicles through the Warri/Benin highway were trapped in the gridlock.

    Sources around the scene of the fire said the oil spill was caused by some youths in the area, who they alleged, punctured the pipeline to siphon crude oil.

    “We woke up on Thursday and discovered that crude oil had flooded the Sapele road. That same morning, NNPC brought about three fuel tankers to drain the oil.

    “But at about 9am, we saw fire. And before we knew it, it had spread everywhere. No life was lost because the soldiers have been on guard since yesterday,” said a taxi driver, who gave his name as Osas.

    Another eyewitness, who spoke in confidence, stated that about fifteen vehicles and several shops were consumed in the flames, adding that people had been asked to evacuate the area since the previous day.

    “A buyer had proposed to buy one tipper that was burnt for a million naira, but the owner refused to sell. Another man had just parked a new Toyota Hiace bus to buy something. Before he returned, the bus had been engulfed in flames,” the eyewitness said.

    When reached for comments, the Head of Public Affairs at the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Goddy Agusa, said he was not very informed about the fire, as he had been out of town.

    He, however, pointed out that steps were already being taken to take care of the situation.

    “I travelled and just came back to town yesterday evening. While I was passing, I saw that they were trying to suck out crude into trucks. That is the much I know. It’s like they’ve given out a contract to a company to do the clean up and maybe do remediation later,” Agusa said.

    When reached for comments, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs of the NNPC, Ohi Alegbe, expressed frustration at the development, noting that the corporation was yet to be done with remediation works on the incident at the Mammy Market, some metres away from the current fire.

    He appealed to Nigerians to fight those in the habit of vandalising public properties, noting that the constant attacks on oil facilities by vandals could only worsen the standards of living for both Nigeria and Nigerians.

    He said the NNPC suspected a wilful act of sabotage in the constant occurrences of oil spill and fire in the area.

  • Court to FG: Don’t seize Kashamu’s property

    Court to FG: Don’t seize Kashamu’s property

    The Federal High Court in Lagos has restrained the Federal Government from seizing Senator Buruji Kashamu’s properties over drug trafficking allegations.

    Justice Ibrahim Buba held that it would amount to an abuse of powers for the respondents to infringe on Kashamu’s property rights without following due process.

    The judge, therefore, barred the Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) from violating the senator’s rights to own property.

    Kashamu sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining NDLEA and the AGF from taking possession of his assets.

    He said he learnt of moves by agents of the Federal Government to seize his properties, including a 24-flat housing estate at Egbe and several hectares of land on Lekki Peninsula, Lagos.

    According to him, he acquired the properties, which he said were worth N20billion, by dint of hard work and through his legitimate business.

    He said contrary to NDLEA’s alleged claim, the property were not proceeds of drug trafficking.

    The Senator said his right to own property as guaranteed by sections 43 and 44 of the 1999 Constitution would be breached if the respondents were not perpetually restrained.

    Ruling in his favour, Justice Buba held that since previous judgments stopping Kashamu’s extradition had not been discharged or vacated, the prosecution could not take steps against him when the restraining orders were still subsisting.

    He said the prosecution was bound to obey the orders until set aside by the Court of Appeal.

    “The judgments of this court are binding on the parties and on this court until set aside on appeal,” he held.

    Justice Buba said the Federal Government cannot sieze Kashamu’s assets on the basis of the same allegations that had been decided upon by the court “whether rightly or wrongly.”

    “Consequently, this application has merit. Same is granted in the light of the judgments referred to in this ruling,” Justice Buba said.

    Justice Buba had, on June 23, re-affirmed a May 27 order by Justice Okon Abang of the same court stopping Kashamu’s arrest and extradition.

  • South African bank raises N50b for property development in Nigeria, others

    FirstRand Bank Ltd said the property unit of its investment banking arm has raised $203 million (about N50billion) for its Real Estate Development Fund (REDF) aimed at developing real estate assets in Nigeria and other West African countries.

    Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), a division of FirstRand Bank Limited, is a leading South African corporate and investment bank and part of one of the largest financial services groups in Africa.

    Aside Nigeria, RMB Westport is also looking at Ghana and Angola as key jurisdictions in which to develop retail and commercial property going forward.

    Commenting on the development, Director of RMB Westport, Michael O’Malley, said: “We believe in the African growth story. Over the past decade‚ African economic output has more than tripled‚ which is one of the many reasons we think that Africa today holds the greatest overall investment potential for all frontier markets globally.”

    RMB Westport opened its doors in 2008 when Rand Merchant Bank (RMB)‚ through its Real Estate Investment Banking division entered into a joint venture with the Westport Property Group to combine west African property development skills‚ capital and investing expertise to enable the construction and development of high-grade retail‚ commercial and industrial property assets in key growth nodes of sub-Saharan Africa.

    According to Africa Property News, an increasing proportion of Africa’s population is moving into urban areas as economic growth quickens, with houses and malls being built in major cities including Accra, Abuja and Luanda, the capitals of Ghana, Nigeria and Angola respectively.

    O’Malley who has spent the past 20 years working on retail and mixed-use projects in 12 African countries, says the discovery of oil in Ghana will likely lead to a further increase in investor interest and subsequent demand for office and industrial space.

    RMB Westport is no newcomer to Africa. Some of RMB Westport’s biggest projects (at various levels of completion) include: Icon House and Accra Financial Centre (A-grade buildings in Ghana); Ikeja City Mall (the largest shopping mall in Nigeria); Osapa Retail (Phase I) and Project Wings (Office and retail property in Nigeria) and recently the Junction Shopping Centre (retail property in Accra‚ Ghana).

  • Siblings in court over father’s property

    A renowned professor of paediatrics and senior consultant paediatrician at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH)  Enugu, Prof. Mrs. Henrietta Okafor has taken her younger brothers to a Federal High Court in Enugu, demanding for takeover of their late father’s company and property.

    Mrs. Okafor who is also the Director of the Institute of Child Health, UNTH, is contesting that the way Uchenna Enterprises (their father’s company) is being managed is not satisfactory.

    Mrs. Okafor is the first daughter of the late Dr. Henry Curtis Chukelu Nwankwo, who was a major player in the property sector and owns several choice properties.

    In the pending Suit No: FHC/EN/CP/04/2014 at the Federal High Court Enugu, the respected medical practitioner wants the court to declare that the affairs of the business venture are being run to her detriment and to order the Probate Registry, Enugu, to steer clear of the firm’s affairs.

    She is also pleading to appoint the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, Enugu or his representative, to take over the affairs of the company until all issues pertaining to it are resolved, including the appointment of a receiver/manager/liquidator to wind up the company’s affairs.

    The professor’s law-suit against her brothers over their father’s property is causing ripples, especially in the Nwankwo’s hometown, Ufuma, in Orumba North LGA of Anambra State, because of the high regard in which their late father’s name is held by his kinsmen, and because such an action is unheard of in Igbo culture.

    The professor’s mother, late Mrs. Christiana Chibuzo Nwankwo, and their sons, Hector, Christian, and Prince, were listed as Directors and Shareholders of the company but not Mrs. Okafor.

    A source within the community revealed that the Nwankwo extended family have been informed about the law-suit, and it’s members are working hard to sort out the matter inside the kindred group.

    Hearing of the matter that came up on Tuesday October 6 2015 continues.