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Number 32 Adebisi Omotola Street, Off Osolo Way, Isolo, Lagos, received an average of 20 visitors a day when it was still under construction. The visitors were prospective tenants, who had signified their interest to occupy the eight two-bedroom flats in the one-storey building.
Besides the flats, there are self-contained one-room apartment and mini-flats in the compound. The house, painted in brown colour with cream roof, is attractive and the location is serene. So, the building attracted civil servants, bankers, businessmen and even military personnel. The flat costs between N600,000 and N700,000, for two years, while the one-room apartment was let out at N100,000 for two years.
Those who had interest allegedly paid to a 35-year-old developer, Mr. Adeyemo Abiodun. Before the house was completed, PUNCH METRO learnt that about 100 prospective tenants had paid to the developer. But they did not realise that they had been duped until last Monday when some of them came to the building preparatory to their moving in.
Some of the prospective tenants, who spoke with PUNCH METRO, said they were shocked when they discovered that all the flats had been occupied by tenants. Although they were angry, there was nobody in particular they could vent their anger on as Abiodun is now on the run.
The confused victims, had formed a group to fight for their common cause when it became obvious that they had been swindled.
When the situation remained the same last Thursday, about 40 of the prospective tenants, who had converged on the building, moved en masse to complain at Aswani Police Station, Isolo, Lagos. As words filtered in that a group had gone to report the incident at the police station, more victims came to the station to also complain.
It was gathered that Abiodun, in connivance with some agents, cashed in on the desperation of accommodation seekers to defraud them, giving one apartment to more than 15 persons.
But the bubble burst for the native of Abeokuta, Ogun State, when the prospective tenants started worrying him that they wanted to take possession of their apartments.
It was learnt that when the situation came to a head, it became a case of survival of the fittest as only the first set of no-nonsense prospective tenants were able to force their way into their apartments.
So, others were defrauded! “When we got to the places we paid for, we noticed that other tenants had occupied them. That was how the news filtered in that Abiodun had played on our sensibilities and had succeeded in duping us of our hard-earned money,” one of the prospective tenants, who craved anonymity, said.
When PUNCH METRO visited the place last Thursday, there was apprehension in the neighbourhood as the victims, laid siege to the property, threatening to raze the building if their money was not refunded.
As they gathered, discussing in groups and raining curses on the developer, they lamented how they got themselves into the mess as it had dawned on them that the developer was a merciless fraudster.
They said efforts to get him on his phone had been fruitless for a week; while the address on his complimentary cards was non-existent and all his agents had run away.
The victims brandished many receipts he issued to them, bearing different names and different companies.
Narrating his ordeal to PUNCH METRO, Mr. Matthew Chimezie, a 58-year-old retiree from the Federal Civil Aviation Authority of Nigeria, said the N740,000 he paid to the developer for a two-bedroom apartment, was his savings for 15 years.
“I am a pensioner. This is the money I have saved for 15 years. I wonder what will become my fate if my money is not given back to me. I went through hell to raise that money. I want the house sealed and the developer found for him to refund our money,” Chimezie said.
Another pensioner of the Federal Ministry of Information, Veronica Morgan, said she paid N380,000 for a room/parlour self-contained, adding that she borrowed the money from many sources.
Morgan, who said she paid her money since November 2010, lamented that each time she met Abiodun over the apartment and that she wanted to move in, he usually asked her to exercise some little patience.
“It has been a case of come-today-come-tomorrow. I paid since November 2010. When I wanted to take possession of my two-room self-contained apartment, he urged me to exercise patience. I have been exercising patience until when it is obvious that the man is a big time fraud. I borrowed the money from my relatives, friends and other sources. I wonder how I will repay them,” she said.
She appealed to the relevant authorities to apprehend the fleeing developer for them to get their money back, saying that she had no where else to go to as she had been asked to quit her former apartment.
As for Florence Madukwe, an employee of the Nigeria Customs Service, she said, “When I came on April 18, 2011, he sweet-talked me into believing all was set. I was surprised when I came to see more than 10 people laying claim to my apartment. It became obvious to all of us that we had been duped.”
Another victim, Raymond Okoka, a businessman, said he paid N600,000 to the developer’s Zenith Bank account number 4014098025. “If anybody had told me that the man was a swindler, I would not have believed. He has a sugar-coated tongue. He told me he had more than 10 houses in Lagos. But I have come to realise that he was a bloody liar. I know that nemesis will catch up with him soon,” he stated.
Yet other victims, Nnali Chidi, Steven Aboyejie and Omole Julius paid N375,000, N340,000 and N270,00 respectively for a mini-flat, which had already been occupied.
Our correspondent who visited the house noticed that the one-storey building had been occupied.
One of the occupants of the house, who declined to mention his name, said the developer had promised to refund the money of the victims.
When our correspondent got to Aswani Police Station, a senior police officer, who preferred anonymity, confirmed that the matter had been reported to them and that they were still investigating it.
Source : punchng.com
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