Gbenga Daniel’s wife knocks Ogun govt, describes plaza’s demolition as executive recklessness – Newstrends
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Gbenga Daniel’s wife knocks Ogun govt, describes plaza’s demolition as executive recklessness

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1 year ago

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Olufunke Daniel and the demolished plaza

Gbenga Daniel’s wife knocks Ogun govt, describes plaza’s demolition as executive recklessness

Olufunke Daniel, wife of former Ogun Gov. Gbenga Daniel, has tackled Ogun government over the demolition of her 5-storey DATKEM plaza in Ijebu-Ode, describing the act as executive recklessness.

Mrs. Daniel stated this on Sunday in a release issued by her lawyer, Mr Adeyinka Kotote (SAN), of PAGE Law office and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that agents of the Ogun government in the early hours of Sunday, demolished DATKEM plaza in Ijebu Ode, belonging to Mrs. Daniel.

According to the release, the legal firm expressed shock that the state government ignored a court order served on its agents on Thursday, September 7, asking them to stop all actions on the building.

“This matter began when the Ogun State Planning and Development Authority agents entered the building premises on August 1 without any prior notice.

“Interestingly, a quit notice was only served on August 31 by the same Planning and Development Authority, asking the owner to vacate the premises within three days.

“However, DATKEM applied for unsealing and regularisation of the building on August 2 and paid the mandatory fee of N500,000 to the Ogun state government. We have evidence of this payment.

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“We were shocked and astonished therefore that the Ogun state government ignored the ongoing legal process and went ahead to demolish the complex in the early hours of Sunday. We want to believe that the State Attorney General’s advice was ignored on this matter,” Kotote said.

“Our clients, as law-abiding citizens of Ogun state, will continue to seek redress in the courts. Even when our clients have suffered unimaginable and huge losses as a result of this illegal demolition, we will not relent in pursuing justice in the courts,” he said.

He added that he believed Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun was not informed of this illegality.

“But if he was informed and still decided to use the instrument of the state against our clients, it is nothing but executive recklessness. But we will continue to fight for justice and ensure that our clients get justice,” the release said.

in a reaction, the Ogun government said that DATKEM Plaza, Ijebu-Ode, was an Illegal structure which contravened Ogun Physical Planning laws.

The state government, in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Olayiwola Abiodun, said the structure violated the building codes of the state with numerous defects.

Abiodun explained that several efforts made by the state government to halt further development on the site were ignored by the developers.

He said government officials requested the structural engineer in charge of the building to avail the state with the structural equilibrium of the building, a request that was ignored.

He recalled the various incidences of building disasters across the country, adding that the state government would not fold its arm and allow such occurrence.

According to the permanent secretary, what the government did in partially pulling down the defective building was to be proactive.

Abiodun challenged the owners of the structure to produce evidence of government approval in their possession.

He said for a commercial building of that status, there must be parking space to accommodate vehicular traffic within and outside the facility for workers and visitors.

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“The provision of the law is that 45 to 50 per cent of available land is for construction as a buildable area. The building lacked stage certification, which is usually issued at every stage of construction.

“Owners were served the necessary notices, including abatement, contravention, stop work and demolition between May and October 2022, which were ignored.

“DATKEM Enterprises Limited submitted application for an office building, located along Ibadan Road, Ijebu Ode, in 2009 with registration number CB/05/299/2009.

“The proposal was for five (5) floors with airspace of 3 metres at the right, 5 metres at the left, 5 metres at the rear and a setback of 32.5516 metres to the middle of Ijebu Ode/Ibadan road, Ijebu-Ode.

“The Zonal Town Planning Office observed during routine monitoring that the construction did not conform with the plan granted as there was a deviation from the airspaces and setback.

“In addition, the building had been modified and enlarged with an additional storey building at the back thereby becoming over density.

“In view of the above, a contravention notice with Serial No. 0106983 was served on 24th May, 2022. Stop Work Order with Serial No. 000623 was served on May 24, 2022.

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“Another Stop Work Order with Serial No. 001065 was served on July 22, 2022, when the first notice was ignored. Demolition Notice with Serial No. 0007549 was served on October 11, 2022,” he said.

The statement also indicated that despite all these notices, the developer was recalcitrant and continued with the construction work.

“This prompted the re-sealing of the site on August 1, 2023. But the sealing did not stop the developer from further construction as work continued on the site.

“However, the developer wrote an appeal for unsealing, which was considered so as to evacuate the belongings in the premises. Thereafter, quit notice with Serial No. 0030750 was served on August 31, 2023.

“In view of the fact that the developer had remained recalcitrant, the Zonal Town Planning Office’s recommendation for the demolition of the office building was upheld,” he added.

Abiodun reiterated state government’s commitment to ensure the safety of its citizens, adding that any defective building in any part of the state would be demolished to safeguard the lives of the people.

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

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November 14, 2024

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

The federal government has unveiled a proposed budget of N47.9 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year.

Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Bagudu revealed that the council had approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2025-2027.

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According to the minister, the government has pegged the crude oil benchmark at $75 per barrel, with an oil production target of 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).

The budget also sets the exchange rate at N1,400 per dollar and aims for a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.4%.

 

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

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6 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told FIJ that they have arrested Timber Wabote, the former executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCMB), on the grounds of a failed $35 million Bayelsa refinery project fraud.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed this to FIJ on Thursday.

“It is true,” Oyewale responded to FIJ’s inquiries.

Wabote is accused of misappropriating public funds for a refinery project that should have improved local energy production.

Vanguard reported that the NCDMB under Wabote paid $35 million to support the development of energy infrastructure in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, yet there was nothing to show for it.

The EFCC picked Wabote up following the arrest of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, for alleged misappropriation, money laundering and diversion of $35 million in public funds.

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“NCDMB under the watch of Wabote allegedly paid the $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel per day (BPD), refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass free trade zone (FTZ), Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State,” a source with the EFCC had explained.

Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum he received.

Preliminary investigations showed that Wabote’s NCDMB financed 17 different projects, including the 2,000 BPD refinery in Brass LGA.

There has been a series of public fund misappropriation cases in the energy sector in recent times.

FIJ earlier reported that members of the House of Representatives summoned three ministers to defend how over $2 billion was spent on renewable energy with not much to show for it.

A recent FIJ report also recently detailed how residents of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, have not had power in their homes since July due to the vandalisation of the Ahoada-Yenagoa transmission towers caused by unidentified persons.

The Bayelsa state government told FIJ it was the federal government’s responsibility to provide electricity for residents. The state has no renewable energy options reliable enough to power its capital despite the multi-million-dollar NCMB energy project.

Transparency in the energy sector has become necessary at a time when Nigerians have suffered power instability due to frequent grid collapses.

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

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Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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6 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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Yahaya Bello

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.

The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.

“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate for us to take proceedings while that 30 days is still running. So we have discussed and agreed to come back on the 27th day of November, 2024, my lord,” he told the court.

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He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.

Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.

The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.

After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.

“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.

Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.

The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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