‘Be like Jakande’ – Nigerians slam Sanwo-Olu over costly Lagos estates – Newstrends
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‘Be like Jakande’ – Nigerians slam Sanwo-Olu over costly Lagos estates

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Babajide Sanwo-Olu

Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been advised to leave a legacy of affordable houses like the legendary Lateef Jakande.

The late journalist, an Obafemi Awolowo disciple, governed the state from 1979 to 1983 and served as Works Minister under the Sani Abacha regime.

Fondly called LKJ or Baba Kekere, he implemented free education; increased the number of primary schools from 605 to 812; secondary schools from 105 to 223; constructed Gbagada, Ikorodu General Hospitals and 20 Health Centres.

Jakande further wrote his name in gold with the construction of more than 30,000 units in 16 Low-Cost Estates in different parts of Lagos.

DAILY POST findings show the locations are in Abesan, Abule Nla, Amuwo-Odofin, Badagry, Dolphin, Ejigbo, Epe, Iba, Ijaiye, Ije, Iponri, Ipaja, Ikorodu, Isolo, Oke-Afa and Surulere.

After Jakande’s passing in February, Bola Tinubu, a former Lagos Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) leader declared that nobody could match his record.

Thousands of citizens benefitted from Jakande’s housing infrastructure which till date provides income for the owners and shelter for accommodation seekers.

But the Lagos Building Investment Corporation (LBIC) continues to shun the maintenance of the estates which provided succor to middle and low-income earners.

Instead, successive administrations build fancy estates sold/selling for tens of millions of Naira, rates way out of reach of struggling Nigerians.

It is no longer news that the houses are mostly purchased by government officials or their fronts, businessmen/women and firms who resell or lease for a period of time.

Read Also: https://newstrends.ng/2021/10/15/blasphemy-drama-as-abduljabar-tackles-his-lawyers-in-court/

At the commissioning of 100 units at Ikate Elegushi on Wednesday, Sanwo-Olu said the project was part of measures to “increase access to the stock of available houses”.

The Bayview Estate, a joint venture between Lagos State Development and Property Corporation and Misa Limited, is situated behind Enyo Filling Station and beside Stillwaters Garden.

Sanwo-Olu disclosed that it consists 68 terraces of 4 bedrooms and 32 flats of 3 bedrooms on a total land area of 23,000sqm.

“We made a promise to partner with the private sector to deliver good houses to Lagos. Bayview Estate is a further demonstration of our consistency in keeping to our promises”, he said.

Reacting to the governor’s Facebook post, citizens accused the Lagos authorities of building houses only wealthy people can afford.

Adewale Omotosho: “(The government) collect tax from the poor and build for the rich. Well done all of una!”

“God bless you sir for this affordable housing. N50m/flat. It is not too bad especially now that things have gone up”, Engr UC wrote sarcastically.

Obuh Nelson: “The elites will buy some of these structures and resell to commoners who even make an attempt to buy. When you wish to do the next one Mr Governor, let it be affordable to minimum wage earners. Then we will know you have delivered dividends of democracy like Alhaji Jakande did.”

Richard Alaribe: “Houses within and around that area is not affordable and it’s not for the masses. How could you build such houses and say you are providing affordable houses to the masses?”

Jide Mackson: “You remind us of Jakande’s sterling qualities. But, these houses are for the elites and those political class. The middle class does not have access to them.”

Adesuwa Favour: “Is it affordable to low income earners? It’s well.”

Ikay Fezzas: “The amount involved has made the houses impossible to be affordable by the low-income earners. Which promise has been fulfilled, when the middle class cannot afford it? Was the promise made to the electorates or the elites? Needless of making the commissioning public when the elites will still have it, while the electorates remain in their impoverished condition.”

Kazeem Ijaola: “Only for the rich because a civil servant earning minimum wage will never be able to afford this.”

Temitayo Badmus: “Houses you’re talking about are too high for civil servants or small shop businesses in Lagos. You’re yet to build houses for the low-income like 70,000 per month. Think about those people and stop thinking about contractors.”

Sunday Benedict: “Only for the rich people. Especially politician. When we say that we want to make things affordable, it should be in such a way that low income earners can partake.”

Seyi Ogunronbi: “They are renting the 4-bedroom in this Estate (for) N5m. How does that make it affordable housing? The people that subscribe to it are not common people.”

Ono Eme: “Can you make it affordable for a civil servant to purchase it as mortgage, not commissioning it for the rich men.”

Nwudu Austin: “Houses that government officials will buy up by themselves and be selling to the public in exorbitant prices. Same happened at Fashola estate, Igando.”

Babalola Imoleaye: “Someone said in the comment that each apartment goes for 50 million Naira. People living at Ajegunle, Iyana Ipaja, Ikorodu, Epe and Ilaje, who are bricklayers, electricians, welders, carpenters and teachers can now afford these affordables. When we’re through deceiving ourselves in this country, we will sit and have a rethink.”

Imoleaye advised politicians to “remember that no matter how long it takes, we will each stand before GOD to give account of how we lived on earth!”

Elegushi of Ikate Kingdom, Oba Saheed Elegushi; Oniru of Iruland, Oba Gbolahan Lawal, among other dignitaries attended the Bayview Estate opening.

In May 2020, Sanwo-Olu commissioned Courtland Luxury Villas, another pricey estate also in Elegushi.

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Many dead as building collapses in Kano

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Many dead as building collapses in Kano

A yet-to-be ascertained number of people have lost their lives after a building collapsed in Kano state.

The incident happened in the Kuntau area of Gwale Local Government Area of the north west State.

Many persons are also currently trapped beneath the rubble of the collapsed building.

Sources said at least eleven persons are trapped under the rubble, mostly workers.

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Excavation is currently ongoing while some corpses have been recovered.

The nation has recorded a spate of building collapse in recent weeks.

Couple of weeks ago, six buildings collapsed after a fire broke out at Dosunmu Market on Lagos Island.

Sixteen other buildings were seriously impacted by the inferno.

Many dead as building collapses in Kano

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Nigerian man kills wife months after relocating to UK

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Olubunmi Abodund with late wife Taiwo
Nigerian man kills wife months after relocating to UK

Olubunmi Abodunde, a Nigerian living in the United Kingdom, reportedly beat his wife, Taiwo, to death with their son’s skateboard, according to the Daily Mail.

The couple, who had three children, arrived in the UK from Nigeria in 2022 and frequently feuded over reported relationships and financial disagreements.

According to the news outlet, 48-year-old Abodunde had been investigated by Suffolk Police several times for domestic abuse and was scheduled to stand trial for murder, but changed his plea to guilty on Wednesday after the jury was sworn in.

During the abuse, officers heard ‘a number of fringes’ inside the house, which Abodunde had entered despite bail restrictions imposed the day before that barred him from the residence due to another violent incident.

When they arrived 25 minutes later, they discovered Taiwo, 41, with her’skull bashed in’.

However, Judge Martyn Levett, sitting at Ipswich Crown Court, cautioned him that the only conceivable penalty was life imprisonment.

Suffolk Constabulary submitted itself to the Independent Office of Police Conduct, which confirmed that three officers were being investigated.

An IOPC spokesman said, “We advised two Suffolk officers that they are under investigation for potential breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour at the level of gross misconduct.

“We advised another officer that they are under investigation at the level of misconduct.”

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Abodunde has a history of mistrust and distrust towards his wife, accusing her of having affairs. He had been probed by police several times for alleged domestic abuse episodes prior to his wife’s murder.

He was detained on April 27 of last year, when police came to the couple’s house in Newmarket, Suffolk, and discovered Mrs. Abodunde with a split lip.

Later that day, he was released on police bail with the condition that he stay away from the marital residence and avoid approaching his wife.

However, after completing a night shift at Tesco, he returned home shortly after 9 a.m. to reportedly pick up his mobile phone.

At 9.20 a.m., two cops arrived to take Mrs. Abodunde’s testimony regarding the previous night’s incident, and they heard persistent banging inside.

But it wasn’t until 9.55 a.m. that they pushed their way in with permission from senior officers and discovered Mrs. Abodunde ‘clearly dead’ near the front entrance.

A post-mortem examination revealed that she had been throttled until unconscious, then stamped on until her ribs were fractured, before her husband used the skateboard to kill her off. The hits were so hard that the skateboard was ruined.

Prosecutor Simon Spence KC told the court that the hammering officers heard was most likely caused by Abodunde continuing to assault his wife after she was unconscious or dead.

Mrs. Abodunde worked as a care home assistant in Cambridge, but her husband, a civil engineer by training, was unable to find work and took shifts at Tesco and Wickes.

Following his arrest for the murder, Abodunde was taken to the hospital “because he appeared to have some sort of mental episode.”.

He later argued in a police statement that he had acted in self-defence, saying, “My wife has subjected me to physical abuse for a number of years.

“On November 28, we got into an argument. She ran at me with a knife. I grabbed the knife and cut my hand. I was defending myself.”

However, the court heard that, while he had a hand injury, no knife was found near his wife’s body.

Nneka Akudolu KC, defending, said the amount of violence was ‘completely out of character’ for her client and could have been influenced by the medicine he was on. However, she stated that no medical evidence would be supplied to back her assertion.

Following the court, Suffolk Police Detective Inspector Dan Connick stated, “This was an awful attack on a woman that has had a long-term impact on the community and, most importantly, on the victim’s family.”

“We are pleased that Taiwo’s family will no longer have to go through the pain of a trial.

“Our thoughts remain with Taiwo’s family and friends, and we hope this result will bring some small comfort to them.”

Nigerian man kills wife months after relocating to UK

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Nigerian Army loses another major to bandits’ attack in Katsina

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Major AG Mohammed

Nigerian Army loses another major to bandits’ attack in Katsina

Barely one week after Nigerian Army lost two captains and four other soldiers in a deadly ambush in Niger State, another officer has lost his life to bandits’ attacks in Katsina State.

According to a report by security analyst and counter insurgency expert Zagazola Makama, on Friday, Major AG Mohammed, died while confronting bandits.

“The news of the demise of Major Ag Mohammed of 17 brigade Katsina state, Operation Hadarin DAJI, is indeed heart wrenching.

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” Mohammed paid the supreme price while combating bandits in the North West of Katsina State. Until his death he serves as the command Covering yantumaki,Dan Ali and Kankara Axis. He was one of the most gallant, courageous and highly dedicated officers.

Nigeria has lost many gallant officers and soldiers to the bullets of Boko Haram (BH) insurgents, banditry, and other insecurities.

We therefore acknowledge with respect the services of our heroes—some of whom we admire for their courage, and outstanding achievements coupled with noble qualities that have laid down their lives for us to live,” the security expert said in a post on X handle.

Nigerian Army loses another major to bandits’ attack in Katsina

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