Home Feature Row over demolished building at Oshodi

Row over demolished building at Oshodi

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A row has broken out over the demolition of a building at 68, Boladale Street, Oshodi, Lagos, after a court’s verdict  on the matter.

The plaintiff, Mr. Adetayo Ogunlana, claimed that the building was demolished by one Raphael Okeke to avoid being served the judgment.

He told our reporter that the building was inherited by the three widows of the late Benjamin Awogbesan Ogunlana.

“Two of the widows and their children agreed to sell the property, our side rejected that proposal and we took the matter to the Ikeja High Court in 2014. In April, last year, Okeke told me that he was taking possession of the building he bought from the other parties. I told him to stay off because the matter was in court,” Ogunlana said.

He said on September 14, 2018, the court declared that the status quo be maintained.

“The judge said the building belongs to a polygamous family and no party has a right to sell it without the consent of others,” Ogunlana said.

He said he informed Okeke, who denied knowledge of the verdict.

Ogunlana alleged: “We went back on November 2, last year, to get the bailiff to serve him on Monday, only to get an emergency call from my wife the following day that some people led by Musiliu Akinsanya aka MC Oluomo were about to demolish the building.

“My belongings got destroyed and those of 18 tenants were also destroyed. They told the people that one man instructed them to come and demolish it because he had bought the house. My wife said the people, armed with weapons, chased the inhabitants away and started removing the roofing sheets before demolishing the building.”

He described the action as “barbaric and lawless.”

“I reported the matter to the police and he was invited. Later, he and Akinsanya called me for negotiation and promised me N5million. I told them that the matter would be resolved by the court and went away,” Ogunlana said.

Akinsanya’s Personal Assistant, Jimoh Buhari, told The Nation that his principal did not go there to supervise the demolition.

“As a community leader, Akinsanya saw a crowd at the place. He went there to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order. He has nothing to do with the owners of the building and the purported buyer,” he said.

Contacted, Okeke said his lawyer would speak on his behalf.

“I will send my lawyer’s number to you to speak on the matter,” he told The Nation last December.

Since then, Okeke did not send the lawyer’s contact or return missed calls.

He also did not reply messages sent to him. The Nation

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