Observers and former residents of Akindele House in Nikadel Estate, Iyana-Oworo, Lagos, have raised concerns over the continued rental of two dilapidated buildings by Akindele Ikupoluyi, popularly known as Ile-Eru, despite warnings of their imminent collapse.
Akindele House, as described by a source who wishes to remain anonymous, is a mini-estate consisting of four buildings – two in the front and two behind. The property has been experiencing structural failure, with the two buildings at the rear gradually sinking.
The source said that except for some occupants, all former tenants of the ground floors have vacated the premises due to safety concerns. The source also said the landlord recently informed tenants in the sinking buildings to move out, claiming he wants to demolish and rebuild the structures.
“Most of the old tenants moved out. But the landlord has continued to rent out the compromised buildings to unsuspecting new tenants. I fear that something bad will happen soon,” the source told FIJ.
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AN INFAMOUS BUILDING
In 2022, Alex Oluwatobiloba, an X user, alerted Lagosians to the state of Akindele House, telling Nigerians to avoid the house if an agent takes them there because of its numerous problems, including Ikumoluyi, its landlord and a suspected drug baron.
The dilapidated building
“Most of the apartments in the house are either mini-flats or self-contains (sic). Tenants in that house barely live through their rents. None of my friends did! That was the first house where I saw a room-and-parlour self-contain without ventilation. The only ventilation was through the door.
“Currently, as I am writing this, the ground floor where my friend stayed for nine months before moving out is gradually sinking,” Oluwatobiloba wrote.
A view of the sinking house
He said occupants of the ground floor bent to enter their apartments and that the condition of the house got worse during the rainy season.
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If you’re looking for an apartment around Iyana Oworo & agents are saying there’s a 3-storey building with multiple apartments, has running water, it’s trekkable to Iyana Oworo bus stop, you can see 3MB from the house & it’s direct from the landlord.Ask if it’s on Palace road?— Alex Oluwatobi (@alexlobaloba) April 24, 2022
“The first time I slept over in that house, we woke up around 2 am to a water-filled room. The water wasn’t coming from a broken pipe or tap but from the ground. It felt like I was inside a fish pond. We were scooping water until around 6 am,” he posted.
Commenters under Oluwatobiloba’s post corroborated his statements. One specifically described the house as an “awaiting disaster” but said the state government would not take any action.
The likes of @officialABAT @jidesanwoolu @followlasg, @gboyegaakosile won’t see this awaiting disaster now until it happens b4 they start acting to the gallery.Apparently D ex convict “Hakkem Akindele Ikupoluyi” aka Ile éru & his boys are tools in D hands of Lagos politicians.— Naikky (@KNaikky) April 25, 2022
“The landlord is an ex-convict. He was part of the drug dealers’ cleanout Obasanjo did. He has a strong foothold in Lagos Island, so he is well-placed for violence. He’s also very unreasonable. So, you know who you’re dealing with,” another commenter tweeted.
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Lemme add for knowledge sake.Landlord is an ex convict. Man was part of the drugs dealer clean out obasanjo did. Has strong foot in Lagos Island, so he is well placed for violence. He’s also very unreasonable. So you know who you’re dealing with.— Asat (@Asatsanchez) April 24, 2022
FIJ called the Lagos State Building Control Agency for comments on the matter, but a respondent asked our reporter to text them. At press time, the agency had not responded.
When FIJ called Ikumoluyi, he said there was no problem and that he would demolish the house immediately after the tenants’ rent expires.
“When the current tenants’ rent expires, they’d leave, and we’ll demolish this place. I also want to demolish and build it again. I have given them a notice myself,” he said.
The post ‘Ex-Convict’ Akindele Ikupoluyi Rents Out Sinking Buildings Despite Imminent Collapse — And Lagos Is Watching appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.