In early 2023, Helen Inyang, a Lagos State resident, began the search for a new accommodation when her landlord asked her to vacate her current apartment.

The educator told FIJ that she was forced to intensify her search when it became clear that her residence would soon be demolished to allow for the construction of a new building.

In the end however, the need to urgently secure a new apartment before her residence got demolished led her to three dubious house agents who claimed to be in charge of the completion of a building in Ajao Estate.

Inyang said she met with the landlord of the property located at No 5 Omoyele street, Canoe Bus Stop, Ajao Estate, in early February, and was assured that construction would be completed in March.

During the period, the landlord introduced Inyang to the three agents who were also the developers of the building.

She found the explanation she got from the landlord and developers convincing and ended up making a N300,000 deposit on February 27 to the developers.

READ ALSO: ‘We Paid Him N1.4m’ — More Victims of Lagos Property Agent Prosper Chukwuemeka Speak

“I was told that the total rent was N490,000. So, I paid it in two tranches: N300,000 on February 27 and N190,000 on March 7. This made the developers operating under the business name Precious Homes, and with the business address, No 5, Omoyele Close, Canoe, Oke-Afa, Lagos, issue a receipt for me,” Inyang said.

Contrary to the assurances made by the landlord however, the construction works on the building stopped in March.

“Banking on the earlier assurances, my mother and I moved our luggage to the building on March 31. The developers, however, stopped us from moving in, claiming they were putting finishing touches to the building. They said it would be ready on April 15 and we left in disappointment,” Inyang explained to FIJ.

“I went there again on April 18, this time, with no luggage, but was confused when I saw that a crowd of about 60 persons had gathered in front of the premises.

“I was wrongly confident that the persons were there for a different purpose until I asked and was told that they had paid money to the three agents in order to secure individual apartments in the building.

“I never anticipated I would ever fall victim to fraudsters in my life. The building has just 6 apartments and about 60 persons are laying claim to have paid for them.

“Presently, my mum and I have been rendered homeless. This is disheartening.

“Most of us now sleep in an open space waiting for the completion of the building.

“The fraudulent agents have since fled with our money and are nowhere to be found. I am not sure they are in any way precious as their company name suggests. All the three agents handling the property have disappeared with over 60 people’s money.”

OTHER HOUSE SEEKERS

Godwin Ezugwu, another victim, expressed his pain, lamenting that it was an unfortunate thing to happen to all of them in view of the sad economic reality in the country.

He said he was the first house seeker to report the matter to the police.

Jerry Akujobi, another affected tenant, told FIJ that he thought the developers could be trusted.

“I realised that I had been duped when I wanted to take possession of the apartment and found that the developers had collected money from tens of prospective tenants for the same building. I am deeply disturbed and hopeless,” Akujobi said.

FIJ gathered from seven other victims that they had paid several thousands of naira to the agents. After this reporter requested for payment receipts to be forwarded to him, the amount from the ones forwarded by the house seekers totalled N3,010,000.

FIJ’s attempt to reach the developers via their phone numbers were unsuccessful. Two out of the three developers are said to be bearing the names Sulaimon and Rasheed respectively.

Omoyele, the owner of the building, could not also be reached via telephone.

However, his wife, who chose not to state her name, said on Monday that her husband did not connive with the developers to dupe the victims.

READ ALSO: Lagos Agent Takes N450,000 Rent But Refuses to Hand Over Keys to House Seeker

“Truly, we commissioned the developers to handle the building, but we never knew they had evil intentions. My husband did not collect a dime from the money the victims paid to them. The matter is now with the police and we have been invited to come on Wednesday,” said Omoyele’s wife.

Abiodun Fadiya, the investigating police officer handling the complaint at Zone D, declined comment on the matter, saying this reporter should come to their station to find answers to his questions.