Osanyinbi, who spoke to Cityvoice Metro on Sunday, explained that she had, through one Pastor Gboyega, sold a plot out of her two plots of land to Emmanuel having been told that he was a member of the Winners Chapel, just like herself.

She said, “I met this Col Philips Emmanuel through Pastor Gboyega in 2021. Pastor Gboyega said the man was interested in buying one of the two plots (of land) and that he wanted to use it for a small-scale business.

“Pastor Gboyega said Philip is a member of the Winners Chapel like myself and I thought that I should be able to trust him, and so I agreed to sell the land to him.

Osanyinbi however alleged that Philips betrayed the trust and confidence that she had in him by messing up her house with the waste he kept on his plot of land but which had spilled to her plot after being beaten repeatedly by the rain.

She said, “It was even one Mr Adeleye, living in one of the buildings on my own plot, that did a video to alert me to this incident. He later had to move out because he said he could no longer endure stench coming from the waste product.

“We have been on this matter since 2021 but Philips has continued to promise to evacuate this waste but has not kept his word. He only removed part of it, and even after that, he had brought more of it into the compound.

“He thinks because he is a military officer, he is above the law. I really want the government to intervene so that he can move those things away. The landlord association is not happy about this environmental pollution as well”

In his reaction while speaking with our correspondent, Emmanuel however said that the materials in question were not toxic waste but recyclable materials used in the production of diapers.

He explained that he bought the plot of land to keep the recyclable materials pending the time they would be moved to the recycling plant.

Emmanuel said, “This issue arose as a result of negligence on the part of the person I hired to monitor the offloading of these materials…

He left things to degenerate despite being paid but he wasn’t doing what he was being paid to do.

“So, after getting wind of all of this, I began the evacuation of these things last year. He moved about 50 trucks and I even made the video of it for Mama to see.

“We equally tried to get a private place but the people over there are fighting. So, it is not as if I am behaving or as if I am above the law. I won’t do that because there is a law governing us in the country.”

He stated that it was not true that the occupants of the house moved out because of the situation but “rather it was because the rent of the house was increased and these people couldn’t afford it.

“The government officials have also come around and affirmed that the recyclable materials are not toxic.

“And I am saying that between now and next month, that’s about two months from now, I believe God that we would have been able to move these things away. I am trusting God that the government would have opened their dumpsite so that we can move those things there. I am also talking to someone who is also assuring me that he would be of help, so I am banking on these two options to get this challenge resolved in the next two months.

When contacted for a reaction, the Commissioner for Environment, Mr Ola Oresanya, said that he was not aware of the incident but that his office would definitely investigate the alleged environmental pollution.

Oresanya said, “I am not aware of this case, but I will investigate it and ensure the needful is done. I don’t want to pre-empt if the waste is hazardous or not. I will talk with the directors or those who are specialists in such a thing so that by the time you are quoting me, you will do so rightly.”

Alonge was sentenced to 21 years imprisonment by the Edo High Court for raping his own daughter, Gift Alonge, and escaped during the #EndSARS jailbreak in the two custodial centres in Benin.

The state Police Commissioner, Funsho Adegboye, at the weekend, said the police got credible intelligence that the convict, a serial rapist and jailbreaker, was sighted in Ososo, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state.

He said the operatives who stormed his house to rearrest him were initially prevented from carrying out their duties by some unscrupulous elements who were later overpowered.

The CP said, “The convict was sentenced to 21 years imprisonment for raping his own daughter, Gift Alonge, and while the case was in court, he boasted that the case would have no end. His daughter and others who were coming to testify in court died mysteriously but he was eventually convicted.

“He thought that after escaping from the prison, he wouldn’t be rearrested but nemesis has caught up with him. He has been rearrested and will be taken to where he belongs.

“He is a dangerous human being and can’t live with the people in his community. Some criminal elements tried to prevent our officers from rearresting him but they were overpowered by the police and he was brought to the command,” he added.

The CP appealed to residents not to hide criminals because they might end up being the next victim of the criminal they are protecting.

Speaking to journalists, the convict said he escaped because everyone was doing the same thing after their prison was forced open during the #EndSARS protest

“I escaped to my village and I was called that the police were in my house and were looking for me. So, I went to meet them and I was arrested,” he said.

Our correspondent, who visited the area on Sunday, observed how the estate’s homes were destroyed and how the occupants hastily packed their possessions to leave.

Speaking with Voice Metro, some residents bemoaned how terrible it was to exit their houses without having a backup plan and a comfortable place to sleep.

Cityvoice Metro had reported that the state Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, had said the demolition was needed to reclaim the Odo Iya Laro drainage channel.

Also, a popular Nigerian singer, Yemi Alade, had decried the demolition carried out at the estate while stating that such action would discourage those interested in investing in real estate in the state.

A member of the resident association who pleaded anonymity claimed that the residents tried to negotiate with the Lagos State Government but were ignored and that they were not given any prior notice before the demolition began on Saturday.

“The Lagos State Government came and said they wanted to demolish the place. They did not serve us any letter of demolition. We were negotiating with the government yesterday (on Saturday), and before we knew it, they just moved in with their bulldozer.”

He added that although there were miscreants in the estate, the security guards were making every effort to stop them from stealing their possessions.

“They have not told us what they want the estate for. All they said was that we were too close to the canal. Miscreants are everywhere, and the security officers are trying to prevent them from stealing anything because residents’ properties are scattered everywhere,” he lamented.

Another resident in the area, simply identified as Kayode, said the government asserted that the houses were too close to the canal and that they had yet to discuss with the residents.

Kayode added, “Nothing has been said so far. We are hoping that they will come and have a discussion with us. For now, all we know is that we have to move out. They do not care where we will move. They have started demolishing areas around a bridge in the area, and we never thought it would get to our area.

He stated that the issue might potentially end in court, and he was hoping that the appropriate party would win.

“They said the houses are too close to the canal, but they should have known before now because before we all built all the houses, we got approval from the government. I am sure the issue will end up in court, and the court can decide who they think is right,“ he said.

Another resident, simply identified as Tega, claimed that the residents’ biggest nightmare came true when the government gave them two hours to leave their houses.

She said, “We did not get any prior notification. They gave us two hours to exit the estate. They told us yesterday (on Saturday). Most people have moved out since then, and we are just trying to get the pieces today. It is the worst nightmare for some of the families here.”

When contacted, the Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, stated that before the demolition, several meetings were held with the residents.

Omotoso said, “The government cannot be so heartless as to tell people to leave their homes in two hours. The Commissioner for Environment was on Arise News Television this morning (Sunday), and he explained everything.

“He explained how many years they had been at it, even before he came to office. On his social media page, he released a series of videos of meetings he had with them.

He added that the state Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources paid a visit to the estate two weeks ago and engaged in negotiations with the residents, adding that the community at large needed to be prevented from flooding.

“He was there last week and two weeks ago. It is not true that they were given two hours. They have been negotiating with them, but the thing is, we do not look at the larger picture.

“If we say one house must stay and the whole community will have to suffer when there is flooding, then that is not right. No one can exit them without prior notice in a country that is governed by law. Should they be compensated for building on drainage channels? I have never heard of that, and the law does not say so.”

Lagos, May 5, 2024 (NAN) The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) on Sunday reaffirmed that the travel Cowry card remains the only acceptable means of payment for all state-owned transport systems.

The Managing Director of LAMATA, Mr Kolawole Ojelabi, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

This is following complaints by commuters that some mini shuttle buses insist on collecting cash instead of allowing them tap in with their cowry cards.

Ojelabi said that feedback was crucial for government to understand loopholes in the service it provides.

“When you see a thing like that just snap the bus and send to me, the only way for us to know is to have information and we call the drivers in and we’ll deal with them.

“The whole essence of putting the monitor there is for you to use your cowry card, those people collecting money are cutting corners. So, please send us the numbers of the buses.

“Also, about passengers having to tap in another BRT bus because the tap device of the bus to their destination is not working is something I consider strange. This is our number, 09099526282,we need this feedbacks,” he said.

Some residents shared their experiences in separate interviews.

Mrs Busayo Bolarinwa, a businesswoman, said that the act was common among some mini bus drivers who ply Costain, Shitta and Lawanson.

“I top up my cowry card monthly to serve me for the month, so, it’s always annoying when some drivers ask for cash.

“In some cases, the driver will insist you tap in from another bus then come back to enter the bus, so, I believe that some of their tap in devices are faulty which should be fixed,” she said.

Similarly Mr Dozie Anayo, a sales representative, said:“ I was heading to Ikeja under bridge to get to Egbeda, it was late that day and I couldn’t get a direct bus to Egbeda, I was surprised when the driver said we should pay in cash.

“I know there was no way that money I paid got to the state government, so, imagine if I didn’t have any cash on me. My friend said he had experienced same too on mini buses,” he said.

Mr Idris Olabisi, a Cleric, said most mini shuttle buses do this late in the evening.

“I think once it’s late in the evening they believe they have worked for government during the day and evening delivery was theirs.

“My experience was at the bus terminal at Marina, I entered Eko Hotel shuttle mini bus from there, I brought out my card but I was told to pay in cash,” he said.