Stay Away From Sinking House, Estate Firm Warns Tenants

An estate firm, Jide Taiwo & Co, which manages the sinking storey building located at 5, Chief Bereola Street, Surulere, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, has disowned the tenants still occupying the house marked for demolition by the Lagos State Government.

The building was marked for demolition by the Lagos State Government following the deteriorating condition of the house after it was gutted by fire twice.

When P.M.NEWS contacted the agent at Apapa office, their staff who simply identified himself as Jeffrey, confirmed the sealing off of the house by Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, after the fire incidents.

He said their firm was aware that their client and LASBCA have been  meeting to resolve the matter.

Jeffrey said when LASBCA sealed the place,  their firm refunded the tenants their rent balance and asked them to look for another accommodation.

He said it was unthinkable that tenants are still living there, warning that they are there at their own risk.

The state government under its agency, LASBCA, ordered the tenants to move out of the house after fire gutted the building for the second time, but they declined, even at the risk of their lives.

P.M.NEWS gathered that the fire incident greatly compromised the integrity of the building and during an inspection by officials of LASBCA, they discovered that it was built near a canal and it was already sinking.

In view of the danger the defective building posed to the occupants, the LASBCA officials ordered the tenants to pack out immediately. The building was sealed and the officials pasted the sealed order on the gate of the building.

P.M.NEWS gathered that the tenants complied initially and moved out with their families before LASBCA sealed it and marked it for demolition.

But after a little while, some of the time tenants returned to the house without any repair or reconstruction of the building.

—Cyraicus Izuekwe