Video ¦ Lagos State Unearth Eighty-Six Rooms Where Tenants Pay N250k Per Annum Under The Bridge

Lagos State Unearth Eighty-Six Rooms Where Tenants Pay N250k Per Annum Under The Bridge 

Lagos State’s Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, on Wednesday said the government discovered 86 partitioned rooms, sized 10×10 and 12×10, under the Dolphin Estate Bridge, Ikoyi, on Lagos Island.

Tenants are said to be paying N250,000 per annum for the makeshift apartment under the bridge.

Wahab shared this information via a post on his X handle last Wednesday, along with videos.

He added that the enforcement team of Lagos State’s Ministry of Environment and Water Resources had successfully removed all structures, including a container utilised for various illegal activities, from beneath the Dolphin Estate bridge.

Sharing videos he wrote, “A total number of 86 rooms, partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10, and a container used for different illegal activities were discovered under the Dolphin Estate Bridge.

“They have all been removed by the enforcement team of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources”

A Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Kunle Rotimi-Akodu, further confirmed the eviction of squatters from beneath the bridge towards Dolphin Estate in Ikoyi over illegal settlement and environmental violations.

He wrote, “Squatters dwelling under the bridge leading from inward Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi were evicted today Tuesday, 30th of April, 2024 by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps LAGESC (aka KAI).

“These people created their illegal settlement under the bridge, thereby exposing the critical infrastructure to impending destruction. 23 persons have so far been arrested and MoE/KAI will continue to monitor the place. The law will take its course.”

He also confirmed that the bridge has hitherto housed 86 rooms, partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10 with squatters paying an average rent of N250,000 per annum.

“Continuation of the removal of abode under Dolphin bridge. 11 more persons were arrested. It is important to note that wood materials were used to construct the shelters, some occupants used gas cylinders, and some had stored fuel for their generators, these are recipes for disaster,” he added.

VIDEO: 86 rooms where tenants paid N250,000 a year found under Lagos bridge

Lagos State's Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, on Wednesday said the government discovered 86 partitioned rooms, sized 10×10 and 12×10, under the Dolphin Estate Bridge. 

Watch video via link below:

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMMG2gfyp/

Witness Narrates How Ex-HoS, Oyo-Ita, Others, Diverted N3b Public Funds Into Their Private Companies

Hamma Bello, a prosecution witness in the trial of a former Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, and her assistants, Ugbong Efiok, Garba Umar, has narrated before Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, how the defendants diverted public funds into their private companies.

Oyo-Ita (the first defendant), alongside her special assistants, Ugbong Effiok (seventh defendant), and Garba Umar (fourth defendant) are facing criminal prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on 18 counts charges bordering on misappropriation, official corruption, money laundering, and criminal diversion of funds to the tune of over three billion naira (N3 billion).

Other defendants in the case include: Frontline Ace Global Services Limited, Asanaya Projects Limited, Slopes International Limited, U and U Global Services Ltd, Prince Mega Logistics Ltd, and Good Deal Investments.

According to the PUNCH, The witness told the court that the former Head of Service, Winifred, used Slopes International Limited and Good Deal Investments Limited-fifth and sixth defendants respectively, to fraudulently award government contracts to herself through the fourth defendant, Garba Umar.

Hamma Bello, highlighted the deals as follow:

The first entry transaction of Good Deal Investment Limited, (the company which according to the witness was incorporated by Garba Umar with the full knowledge Oyo-Ita) was in February 2019 and it shows that fourty two million, seven hundred and fourty-eight thousand, two hundred and one Naira, fourty-seven kobo (N42,748, 201.47) was paid into the company's Zenith Bank account.

Bello said, “We called for the account statements of these two companies, and upon analysing them, we realised that Garba Umar, the fourth defendant, was paid several sums of money from the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, where he is an employee."

The witness continues, “Upon interviewing the fourth defendant (Umar), he admitted that he was also a contractor and had paid the first defendant (Winifred Oyo-Ita) on several occasions from the proceeds of the transaction.”

A transfer of Twenty million, two hundred and two thousand, one hundred and fourty-two naira (N20, 202, 142) was made in the name of Ibrahim Madu to the Zenith Bank account of Asanaya Projects Limited, another company registered with the knowledge of the first defendant, Oyo-Ita.

The witness stated that the mandate card of the account bears the signature and photo of the seventh defendant, Effiok, and upon investigation, approvals were granted and payments made to the seventh defendant either through his personal account or to the account of the company.

"The seventh defendant confirmed that the first defendant was aware of, and benefitted on several occasions from the funds received", the witness added.

Based on the witness accounts, the account of U and U Global Services Limited was also opened by Ugbong Effiok, the seventh defendant.

Hamma Bello asserted that several payments were made into U and U Global Limited account between 2015 and 2018 in form of Duty Tour Allowances, Esta codes, and payments from the federal government were also made directly to the U and U Global Limited account.

The witness cited an instance where the account received N40, 313, 453. 58, On March 24, 2016, the payment according to Bello was from the federal government.

Hamma Bello also tenders “Exhibit O" which contains details of Fidelity Bank account of Prince Mega Logistics Ltd.

According to the the exhibit, On March 27, 2018, and April 6, 2018, there were four financial entries which include: N4, 950 000; N3,946,000, N4,676,000 and N1,478,000, from Thomson Titus Okure.

Titus Okure used to be a colleague of the seventh defendant in the Account Department.

He (the witness) also revealed that there were outward payments to beneficiaries named as follows: Ignom, Minaro Blessing, Winifred Oyo-Ita, Olarenwaju Godman Olushola and the seventh defendant is the sole signatory of this account.

After the hearing, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, adjourned the case till April 30, 2024. 

Why Abuja Chinese Supermarket Was Sealed As Owner Flees With Family

The owner of an Abuja-based Chinese supermarket, Cindy Liu Bei, has reportedly fled with her family leading to the sealing of the supermarket by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). 

The Abuja-based Chinese supermarket located within the China General Chamber of Commerce in Abuja was sealed on Monday by FCCPC following allegations of discriminatory practices against Nigerians.

The FCCPC's officials sealed up the place after interrogating Nigerian workers at the supermarket.

The workers who are mostly Nigerians said that the owner of the supermarket, a Chinese lady, Cindy Liu Bei, fled on Monday at 8:26 am with her family as confirmed on the Closed-Circuit Television camera.

According to reports in PUNCH, the supermarket had implemented a controversial policy that permits only Chinese nationals into the Supermarket, thereby preventing Nigerians from patronising the establishment.

After visiting the premises on Monday, the commission (FCCPC) officials led by the Director for Surveillance and Investigation, Boladale Adeyinka, said the mission of the commission is in response to the viral video when Nigerians were allegedly being discriminated against and denied access into a supermarket located in Abuja.

Speaking at the end of the enforcement exercise, Adeyinka said, “The essence of the surveillance and investigation that we conducted today is to verify the allegations and the content of that viral video.

“Adeyinka continues by stating that the supermarket had opened for business and CCTV footage also shows that in the morning, two vehicles departed from these very premises allegedly containing the owner of the supermarket, whom we have been able to identify by name and we have her contact details.”

Mrs Adeyinka advised the owner in absentia to appear before the commission tribunal or the compound will remain sealed if she fails to attend to the summon which is a lawful inquiry.

Why Ex-Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello Was Declared Wanted By EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, wanted on Thursday, April 18, 2024.


The declaration which was posted on the the commission’s official Facebook page on Thursday stated that the former governor is wanted for offences relating to economic and financial crimes.


The notice posted on the commission’s official Facebook reads, “The public is hereby notified that Yahaya Adoza Bello (former Governor of Kogi State), whose photograph appears above is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in connection with alleged case of Money Laundering to the tune of N80,246,470,088.88."


EFCC had stated that it would arraign before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja after the anti-graft agency was granted a warrant of arrest to apprehend the former governor.


Yahaya Bello, a 48-year-old Ebira man, is a native of Okenne Local Government of Kogi State, whose last known address is: 9, Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, according to EFCC statement.


The commission request useful information about the former governor’s whereabouts from any member of the public with such valuable information to contact any of the commission’s offices across the country.

The Federal Government has also placed the wanted ex-Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, on a watch list.

The embattled former governor is being pursued by NIA, DSS, Police, EFCC, and Immigration.

Steps To Obtaining Multipurpose National ID Card In Nigeria

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) recently announced the launch of a multipurpose National ID card that can serve the purpose of identity verification, payments, and even government services.

Additional information released by the NIMC reveals that the card will be enabled for all government intervention and services across multiple Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDA). Among other capabilities and functionalities, it will also be enabled for the eNaira in compliance with the EMV operational and security standards.

Although NIMC has not categorically stated the date the card will be available to Nigerians, it has released the process of applying for it.

How to obtain the card

According to NIMC, Nigerians intending to apply for the card will go through the following process:

First, the person goes to the nearest bank or bank-approved center and makes a request for the payment card layered on identity.

The person provides his or her NIN for identity verification and proof of a minimum age of 18 years.

The bank sends the NIN to NIMC and receives relevant authorized identity data in the specified format.

The bank uses the verified identity data to securely prepare the standard EMV data for the card before getting it personalized and printed on by a partner bureau.

The bank then issues the finished card to the person who made the request it, now the cardholder.

Card expiry date

NIMC noted that while the payment feature “ATM card” part of the solution comes with the standard expiry date printed in front, the identity part on the back of the card will only have an issue date signified and no expiry date.

According to the Commission, when the payment feature of the card expires, the cardholder has 3 options with regard to the continued use of the card:

“Go to the bank and request a new payment card layered on identity, discarding the previous one.

“Continue to use the card only as a valid means of identification but not for payment – a new separate, standalone payment card is requested from the bank.

“Continue to use the card only as a valid means of identification without requesting a new payment card (especially for the unbanked persons).”

NIMC warned that the card will still function as an ATM card so it is advisable for users not to give out photocopies or scanned images of it, bearing their sensitive payment details, to unauthorized parties.

The Commission noted that while the user’s NIN is not visible on the card, it can be accessed by scanning the QR code on the card. 

Ten Unforgettable Events That Characterised FG, CBN Naira Redesign Policy

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Monday, March 13, 2023, ordered commercial banks to accept and start dispensing the old naira notes.

The old notes were seized to be legal tender as of February 10th, 2023 based on the FG-CBN deadline for swapping old notes for newly redesigned notes.