Residents of De-Mes Court, a residential estate in Wuye, Abuja, have raised an alarm over the maltreatment and intimidation they are facing from Mr. Christopher Emefiele, who is reportedly linked to the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele.
The residents, in letters seen by Leaders.ng and addressed to Abuja Development Control and the Council of Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), accused Emefiele of disregarding tenants’ welfare and engaging in unsafe construction activities around the estate.
According to a strongly-worded petition penned by the estate’s representative, tenants have been grappling with the impact of unauthorized and hazardous construction projects carried out in Flats 3 and 4.
They stated that “heavy construction involving breaking and building of walls,” has been conducted without prior consent or safety measures.
Part of the letter, dated August 26, 2024, and addressed to De-Emerald Xceptional Homes Ltd read: “Within the last few days, we have witnessed heavy construction taking place in Flat 3 and Flat 4 without our consent,” Abdullahi’s letter states.
They noted that the ongoing construction not only breached security protocols but also introduced serious health and safety risks. They also pointed out that the supervisor of the construction is not a certified engineer and has failed to take safety measures thereby putting the lives of tenants in danger.
They lamented that the estate’s once-secure environment has been transformed into a chaotic construction site, with workers and unknown individuals entering and leaving freely throughout the day and night.
One of the tenants stated that “the ongoing work is a heavy construction that has put our lives in danger, they have turned the estate into a construction site, they deliberately disconnected the water system and have treated us like animals.”
According to the tenants, they have kept to all tenancy agreements but the landlord has breached the contract.
The letter also raised concerns about the estate fence and gate being broken down and left wide open, leaving tenants vulnerable to attacks by criminal elements.
With debris thrown out into the compound, residents say they have become increasingly anxious about potential injuries and property damage.
One tenant described her ordeal: “The tap in my kitchen has not been working since renovation started, meaning water hasn’t been coming up there.”
Another tenant lamented the breakdown of plumbing systems, saying, “The second toilet in my flat has had water flowing onto the floor from the wall, creating constant flooding.”
There have been reports of injuries, including one tenant who tripped and fell due to debris left haphazardly around the estate. The ongoing renovation has also left some apartments without water supply.
The tenants issued an ultimatum to Emefiele, stating: “We are giving the sponsors of this construction an ultimatum to stop this unethical and illegal construction within 48 hours.”
Beyond the immediate disruptions, the situation at De-Mes Court underscores a broader issue of power dynamics and alleged abuses.
They alleged that Mr. Emefiele’s influential connections have emboldened him to connive with the Abuja Department of Development Control and Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) for this act of impunity, to disregard the well-being and to violate the fundamental human rights of residents.
They appealed to relevant authorities to intervene and hold Mr. Emefiele accountable.
“We cannot live under such stressful and hazardous conditions,” one of them told Leaders.ng.