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  • NDLEA speaks on selling of Ikoyi Lagos property

    NDLEA speaks on selling of Ikoyi Lagos property

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) says it did not sell its office in Ikoyi part of Lagos State.

    The agency dismissed an anonymous write up going round on WhatsApp platforms that a certain former NDLEA chairman, sold off its headquarters office buildings in Ikoyi.

    The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Babafemi described the write up as a total distortion of facts as it stated that the NDLEA left its officers and men stranded.

    According to him, the agency wishes to state that buildings referred to in the circulating piece, which did not belong to it in the first place, served as its national headquarters before its relocation to Abuja some years ago.

    “It should be noted that a Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC) on Federal Government Landed Properties took over the buildings following a government directive

    “The directives stated that all vacated or underutilised government property be taken over by the PIC, sold and proceeds paid to Federal Government coffers.

    “At the time of relocation, 70 per cent of the agency’s headquarters staff moved to Abuja while the remaining 30 per cent are still in Shaw road office, Ikoyi.

    “This remaining 30 per cent will soon join the main headquarters in Abuja as soon as the new HQ building, recently bought by the Federal Government for the agency is ready for occupation, ” he said.

    Babafemi said that like other Federal Government agencies whose property were taken over by the PIC, NDLEA had no hand in the sale of the mentioned property.

    He said the agency does not know who bought them and for how much, as the presidential committee solely handled the sale.

    “The challenge before the agency at the moment is how to remove our officers and men who live within communities where they are exposed to dangers into secure barracks accommodation.

    “And this is a concern already being addressed by the Federal Government through budgetary provisions for the construction of such barracks across the country beginning from 2022.

    “Members of the public are therefore urged to disregard the anonymous write up, which is nothing but an embodiment of distortion and mischief,” he said.

  • Ikoyi building collapse: COREN submits findings to inquest

    Ikoyi building collapse: COREN submits findings to inquest

    The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has submitted a report on its investigation into the Nov. 1, 2021 collapse of a 21-storey building on Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

    Mr Tomide Akinnawo, Chief Engineer and COREN’s Head of Lagos Laison Office, submitted the report while testifying before the inquest.

    Commending the report, the Coroner, Mr Oyetade Komolafe, said that it was detailed.

    He requested that additional two copies should be submitted to the inquest.

    During proceedings, Akinnawo told the coroner that the COREN investigative panel noticed that the project board mounted at the site of the collapsed building hid vital information about the construction.

    “The contractor did not give an address and phone number.

    “It is inappropriate, the project board hid a lot of sensitive and important information,” he said.

    The engineer said that it was the responsibility of surpervisory government agencies to point out the breach, when they visited the site.

    “The contractor or the client needed to have been sanctioned by the state development control bodies because information on the project board is not detailed.

    “COREN has mandate to visit sites, and anytime we visit sites, we limit our visit to the area of coverage which is the engineering aspect of that project,” he said.

    Akinnawo said that COREN discovered another structure (Block D) constructed behind the initial three high-rise structures at the site.

    The witness said that the investigative panel was not granted access to the site until the coroner ordered the access.

    “When we began work there, we discovered Block D. That Block D was at the back of the other buildings. It was an eight-storey building and it was meant to serve Blocks A, B and C.

    “When we saw the Block D, we could not ignore it, we had to include it in our report,” Akinnawo said.

    Responding to the coroner on whether the land mass of the site was large enough to accommodate the four structures, Akinnawo said that the contractor of the project breached town planning regulations.

    He said that the entrance to the site was also not appropriate for the magnitude of the structures.

    Under cross-examination by Mr Oluwamayokun David, counsel to Beyond Design Ltd., the witness said that in the course of his duties, he had encountered loggerheads between contractors and consultants.

    “The relationship between contractors and consultants in Nigeria is like cat and mouse. The contractor will want to cut corners which the consultants will not allow.

    “When a contractor continually violates quality control in his project, the duty of the consultant is to write through the project architect to the client.

    “If it fails the consultant will write through the project manager to COREN. If no action is taken, the consultant will resign,” he said.

    Akinnawo said that he first heard of Fourscore Heights after the building collapsed.

    He said that COREN was unable find staff of the company to interview during the investigation.

    Komolafe adjourned the inquest until April 29 for continuation of hearing.

    The building collapsed on Nov. 1, 2021, killing 50 persons including Mr Femi Osibona, the Managing Director of Fourscore Heights.

    NAN

  • Ikoyi Building Collapse: 5 victims still unidentified

    Ikoyi Building Collapse: 5 victims still unidentified

    A pathologist, Dr Sokunle Soyemi, has revealed that five deceased victims of the 21-storey building, which collapsed on Nov. 1, 2021 at Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, are yet to be identified.

    Soyemi, who is the acting Chief Medical Examiner of Lagos State, said this while testifying at an Ikeja Coroner’s Court on Thursday.

    The pathologist, in his testimony, said there were 50 victims of the collapsed building (47 male and three female); 45 have so far been identified and their ages range from 18 to 56-years.

    Soyemi said autopsies on the bodies commenced on Nov. 4, 2021 and lasted for 13-days until Nov. 13, 2021.

    Revealing the causes of death, he said, “so far we have identified 45 bodies out of 50. The autopsies revealed that 40 deceased had multiple injuries as cause of death.

    “Six had injuries to the head alone and died. One had bilateral fracture of the femure.”

    The pathologist said the remains were put in 53 body bags because an additional three body bags had contained body parts of the deceased victims.

    On the physical state of the corpses, the pathologist said the bodies could not be visually identified and samples had to be taken from the bodies for testing at the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre.

    “After about a month, we started receiving results from the lab. As we were receiving the results we were also releasing the bodies to families and up till now, we are still releasing bodies.

    “At present, of the 45 identified bodies, 42 have been released to family members while the remaining three have not been collected by family members.

    “When there was a call for family members to come and donate samples, some people who were not related to the deceased came forward and the samples could not match.

    “We had to call again for new samples from family members which came in about two weeks ago,” he said.

    Soyemi in his evidence revealed that he never visited the site of the collapsed building during the course of his duties. He also noted that death certificates had been issued for the deceased.

    The coroner, Mr Oyetade Komolafe, adjourned proceedings until Feb. 18 for continuation of hearing.

    Of the three high-rise buildings (Blocks A, B and C), which were situated on Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, Block B (21-storeys), collapsed killing 50 persons.

    One of the deceased was Mr Femi Osibona, the Managing Director of Fourscore Heights Ltd., the contractor of the project.

  • Collapse of 21-storey Lagos building an engineering failure – Council

    Collapse of 21-storey Lagos building an engineering failure – Council

    The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has described the collapse of the 21 storey building in Ikoyi, Lagos in November, 2021 as an engineering failure.

    The President of COREN, Mr Ali Rabiu, disclosed this at the submission of report by the Special Investigations Panel of the Collapsed 21 storey building in Ikoyi Lagos on Thursday, in Abuja.

    Rabiu assured the panel that COREN would ensure that the recommendations were implemented by government in line with its mandate.

    He said that there might be two things to learn from the exercise going forward after seeing what went wrong, adding that measures would be taken to correct the anomalies.

    According to him, COREN will sanction negligence by practitioners if there is any engineer or any engineering practitioner involved in this collapse.

    “I want to assure you that COREN will by the mandate given to it by the act, ensure that such practitioners are sanctioned in accordance with the law.

    “And, where they are not practitioners and they are found involved, we will ensure that we prosecute them in the court of competent jurisdiction.

    “But in the meantime, the report will be forwarded to the appropriate organs of government and an executive summary and advice on the implementation of your recommendations.

    “Once again, I want to use this opportunity to console the people of Lagos state for what happened and we pray that such never happen again,’’ he said.

    The Chairman of the panel, Mr George Okoroma, while submitting the report to the president of COREN, said the panel had completed its task.

    Okoroma said that the report was given to the COREN President and government to study, before making it available to the public.

    He said that the report had been carefully documented and would be presented to COREN for them to study and after which it would be made public.

    The panel was set up by COREN President following the collapse of a 21-storey building on Nov. 1, 2021 at Ikoyi killing 46 persons and rescue of 15 alive.

    It was mandated to carry out a comprehensive inquisition on the remote and/or immediate cause(s) of the collapse among other terms of reference.

  • Alleged N6bn fraud: Mompha opts for remand at Ikoyi Correctional Centre

    Alleged N6bn fraud: Mompha opts for remand at Ikoyi Correctional Centre

    Social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha, alias Mompha, on Tuesday opted to be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Center following his inability to meet the strict bail conditions imposed by an Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos.

    According to reports, Mompha and his company Ismalob Global Investment Ltd were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N6 billion fraud, on Jan. 12.

    The eight count charges are conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activity and laundering of funds obtained through unlawful activity.

    Others are retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, use of property derived from unlawful act, possession of document containing false pretence and failure to disclose assets and properties.

    He was earlier remanded in the custody of the EFCC after the Jan. 12 proceedings and the court had fixed Jan. 18 to hear his bail application.

    Justice Mojisola Dada , at the resumption of proceedings on Tuesday after hearing the submissions of defence counsel, Mr Gboyega Oyewole (SAN) and EFCC prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), granted Mompha bail in “very strong terms.”

    “The applicant is granted bail in the sum of N200 million with two sureties in like sum.

    “One of the sureties must have property valued at N100million within the jurisdiction of this honourable court.

    “Both sureties must depose to an affidavit of means to allow the placement of a lien in their respective bank accounts, both sureties must be gainfully employed and resident within the jurisdiction of this court.

    “The sureties must provide proof of tax payment for the past three years.

    “The applicant shall however be remanded in a Correctional Center of his choice pending the perfection of his bail,” Dada said.

    NAN reports that Mompha after consultation with his legal team opted to be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Center.

    The case was adjourned until March 28, 29 and April 4, 5 and 6 for commencement of trial.

  • Collapsed Ikoyi Building: No provisional approval was given before construction started – LASBCA

    Collapsed Ikoyi Building: No provisional approval was given before construction started – LASBCA

    The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) has revealed at a coroner inquest inquiring into the Nov.1 collapse of the 21-storey building at Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos that construction of the three high-rise blocks began months before provisional approval was granted.

    LASBCA’s counsel at the inquest, Mr A.S Odugbemi, made this revelation while questioning Mr Muritala Olawale, the Managing Director of Prowess Engineering Nigeria Ltd.

    Olawale was a former consultant structural engineer to the project. He withdrew his services via a letter dated Feb. 20, 2020, over disputes on how the project was structurally executed.

    At the coroner’s proceedings, Odugbemi disputed the contents of paragraph 17 of Olawale’s Statement on Oath to the Inquest stating that late Femi Osibona, the Managing Director of Fourscore Heights Ltd, had informed his team that he had received provisional approval for the project’s construction.

    According to Olawale’s Statement on Oath, Osibona showed his team a copy of the provisional approval from the Lagos State Government and ordered them to commence construction on the site.

    Disputing Olawale’s claims, Odugbemi said that LASBCA never granted Osibona a provisional planning permit when the team moved to the site to commence construction in January 2019.

    He stated that LASBCA granted provisional approval in April 2019.

    “Will you be surprised if evidence is provided to you right now that work had started before the provisional planning approval was granted in April 2019?” Odugbemi said.

    Responding, Olawale said “I will be surprised. All the approval processes were being handled by the client (Osibona).”

    Olawale did not give a specific answer to Odugbemi’s query on whether the three high-rise blocks were covered by a general insurance policy as required by law.

    He, however, informed the panel that prior to construction, a soil test was conducted at the site by another company contracted to do the job.

    “We have submitted the result of the soil test of the site to other panels investigating the collapse,” he said.

    Of the three high-rise buildings (Blocks A, B, and C) which were situated on Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, Block B (21-storeys) collapsed on Nov. 1 killing 46 persons while 15 persons were rescued alive.

    One of the deceased was Mr Femi Osibona, the Managing Director of Fourscore Heights Ltd, the contractor of the project.

  • FG insists marriages formalised at Ikoyi, other Federal registries constitutional, legal; tells old, intending couples not to entertain fear

    FG insists marriages formalised at Ikoyi, other Federal registries constitutional, legal; tells old, intending couples not to entertain fear

    The Federal Government via the Ministry of Interior on Tuesday reiterated that marriages formalised at the Ikoyi registry in Lagos are constitutional and legal.

    Several reports had claimed marriages conducted at federal registries were illegal as local governments are responsible for that aspect of public life.

    However, in a statement by spokesperson Blessing Lere-Adams, the Ministry of Interior said such claims were misleading and false.

    “The Federal Government wishes to assure the general public-especially prospective couples wishing and planning to contract their marriages at the Ikoyi Marriage Registry or any other Federal Marriage Registry under the Ministry of Interior, that they are free to do so, as the 1999 Constitution legally empowers the Federal Government to contract such marriages,” the statement said.

    “The Permanent Secretary and Principal Registrar of Marriages, Dr. Shuaib Belgore confirmed this statement while fielding questions in his office . Belgore emphatically submitted that the misinformation and totally incorrect news making the rounds recently in the Social media-was incorrect and should be disregarded. He further stated that there should be no cause for apprehension to all intending couples who have planned to be married during this festive period-and at any other time at the Ikoyi Marriage Registry in Lagos or at any other Federal Marriage Registry.

    “He stressed that the Federal High Court in three previous decisions had affirmed the powers of the Ministry to conduct statutory marriages, based on the provision of the Constitution, marriage acts and Legal Notices issued by the President and Minister of Interior. He stated that these judgements are valid, subsisting and binding, until set aside by a superior court, which is not the case.

    “Dr. Shuaib Belgore therefore wishes to again reassure the general public, especially intending couples that the contraction of all Marriages at the Ikoyi Marriage Registry is constitutional and Valid.

    “The Permanent Secretary wishes all prospective couples planning their marriages during this yuletide a pleasant ceremony.”

  • All marriages conducted at Ikoyi registry illegal – Court

    All marriages conducted at Ikoyi registry illegal – Court

    A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, has declared that it was unconstitutional for the federal government to conduct marriages, declaring as illegal and invalid, for example, all solemnisation of unions at the Ikoyi marriage registry, Lagos.

    The court, presided over by Justice D. E. Osiagor, held that only the local government marriage registries were authorized to do such by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    He submitted that the conduct of marriages and issuance of certificates were statutorily the job of the local governments as provided by the law.

    The judge added that the acts of the federal government through the Ministry of Interior,operating marriage registries was beyond their powers and held that all marriages conducted by federal marriage registries or through their agents were illegal and invalid.

    He therefore ordered the closure of all federal marriage registries opened by the ministry, including that of Ikoyi marriage registry with immediate effect.

    There has been a legal brawl between some local government areas in Nigeria against the federal government simply for the determination of who has the power to operate marriage registries, conduct marriages and issue marriage certificates.

    For this reason, the LGAs had maintained that their powers to register marriages, which were statutorily provided were being usurped by the federal government through the Ministry of Interior.

    This prompted the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State to go to court, where it sought an order to take over the popular Ikoyi Marriage Registry being operated by the Ministry of Interior, on the grounds that the federal government, through the ministry, had no business operating a marriage registry.

    The suit marked FHC/ LS/CS/816/18, which had the Ministry of Interior and Attorney General of the Federation as defendants, accused the ministry of usurping the local government power to conduct marriages and issue marriage certificates.

    It also prayed the court to declare that the federal government has no business in the conduction of marriages and issuing marriage certificates and therefore order the closure of all marriage registries opened and operated by the Federal Ministry of Interior or through their agents, including that of the Ikoyi registry.

    At the end, the court granted their prayers, saying only the local governments have the power to conduct marriages in Nigeria.

    THISDAY investigation revealed that the latest judgment was not the first to emanate from the court.

    On May 17, 2018, Justice Chuka Austine Obiozor of the same, while delivering judgment on Suit No: FHC/L/CS/1760/16, had issued a restraining order against Ikoyi registry from conducting marriages, saying it was unconstitutional for the federal government to perform the duties of the state and local governments.

    He said the marriage registries in the local government of Lagos State were the authentic and legally-binding government divisions established to carry out such functions.

    Addressing a press conference afterwards, Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Muslim Folami, said the judgment would be communicated to all stakeholders, including the embassies.

    Folami said the decision of the court was supreme and legally binding on all and that all marriages conducted and registered in any of the 20 local governments were valid and in accordance with the marriage act.

    Particularly, he said the judgment would put a stop to the perception of superiority of Ikoyi Marriage Registry over the local government registries.

    “We are going to use every available platform in the five divisions across the state to sensitise our people and inform them about this latest development – from Epe to Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja and Lagos Island,” he said.

    But instead of complying with the decision of the court, the Federal Ministry of Interior went ahead to establish more marriage registries across the country.

     

  • Ikoyi collapsed building: Death toll now 45, two high-rise buildings not for demolition – LASG

    Ikoyi collapsed building: Death toll now 45, two high-rise buildings not for demolition – LASG

    Death toll in the 21-storey collapsed building in Ikoyi, Lagos has reached 45, the Lagos State Government said late Wednesday night.

    The government also said contrary to speculations, no directive has been given for the demolition of the two high-rise buildings standing at the site of the 21-storey collapsed building in Ikoyi, Lagos.

    A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso said the Panel of Inquiry instituted to establish issues surrounding the collapse of the building has continued to sit and that an integrity test was yet to be conducted on the buildings.

    “It is, therefore, wrong to assert or speculate that the buildings will be demolished.

    “The operation at the site of the collapsed building continues. Vehicular movement around the site has been smooth, following the reopening of the road.

    Ikoyi collapsed building: Death toll hits 43
    “Two more bodies were recovered from the site today. The recovery of the two bodies has brought to 45 the number of bodies retrieved from the site,” he said.

    Omotoso added that the identification of bodies of the victims of the incident had continued at IDH, Yaba, Lagos Mainland.

    He disclosed that 32 families had come forward to submit samples for DNA to identify bodies that they wished to claim.

    “In cases where identification is clear and there are no arguments, the bodies will be released to the families.

    “A committee to supervise the identification and release of the bodies has begun work. It comprises senior officials of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Justice,” he said.

  • JUST IN: 29 families submit DNAs for Ikoyi high-rise victims’ identification

    JUST IN: 29 families submit DNAs for Ikoyi high-rise victims’ identification

    As rescue team intensified the search for more bodies possibly trapped under the Ikoyi high-rise rubbles, at least 29 families have submitted their Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) samples to the Lagos State Government, basically to aid identification and collection of their loved one’s corpse for burial.

    To aid collections of bodies for the families, the State Government has inaugurated a committee to supervise the identification and release of the bodies to the victims’ families.

    The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, who disclosed these on Tuesday, said that the committee was set up to prevent any argument that may possibly arise during collection of the 43 already recovered bodies by the families.

    Omotoso, through a statement released to newsmen and titled Update on Gerrard Road Building Collapse, stated that the committee comprises senior officials of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Justice.

    Away from the collection exercise, he noted that that the rescue team has been mandated not to stop the rescue operations until the site is cleared and nobody is left in the rubble of the collapsed 21-storey edifice.

    The statement reads in part: “The Panel of Inquiry set up by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to find out why the building went down and suggest ways of stopping such incidents has continued its sittings. It is collecting documents that may help unravel the mystery of the collapsed building”.