THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014
45
SOUTHWEST REPORT
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HEN Mr Abiodun Adeniran a lecturer at The Polytechnic, Ibadan was returning home from work that fateful day, all he had in mind was to have a peaceful rest after a hard day’s work, but this was not to be. As he entered his compound at Akobo area of the city, little did he know that danger was lurking. He walked straight into the hands of a group of armed robbers who after disposing him and his wife of their precious wedding rings and other valuables also went away with his car.. The academia, while narrating his ordeals in the hands of three armed robbers said it was his first experience meeting men of the underworld face to face. According to him, he had returned from work into the living room not knowing that the armed robbers had been keeping vigil inside the uncompleted building behind his residence. Adeniran said his mother inlaw had gone out to pick some clothes hung to dry outside when she discovered that they had fallen to the other side of the fence. “As she was trying to look beyond the fence, suddenly three hefty men jumped the fence from their hideout and ordered her to lead them into the main building. “When they entered, they demanded for everything including money, handsets and other valuables in the house among which were our wedding rings. “They also demanded for the key of my car which was parked in the premises and they went away with it,” the lecturer recalled. Before the robbers left, he said his wife and himself were locked up in the bathroom while they gave the key to his mother in-law. Immediately they left, he said “people came to sympathise with us, and the incident was reported
Four robbers shot dead by police in Ibadan From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan
at the police station”. The robbery victim said the police swung into action immediately, sending radio messages to all police formations and this led to the killing of the three robbers. While drumming support for the police, the victim who commended them for a job well done, urged government to give Nigeria Police the necessary support to do more. Parading the dead suspects at the Police Headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, recently State Commissioner of Police, Abubakar
•As victim recount ordeal Indabawa, disclosed to journalists that four armed robbers, including the three that robbed the Adenirans were killed during a gun battle with the policemen in Ibadan. He said the robbers were killed on Friday, January 17, 2014. The fourth robber was killed along the Lagos/Ibadan road, Seko area near Dominion University while attempting to evade a police checkpoint, while three others ran away.
Indabawa also disclosed that a Honda Accord car with registration number TD 206 AAA, belonging to one Engineer Adeniran Ademola was reported stolen by robbers who also went away with some belongings of their victim. The police boss stated that the police manhunt for the robbers was helped by support from a popular hunter, Alhaji Kwara Azare, who joined the police in the search for the car which was
trailed to a point on Oyo road. “When the three occupants (suspected robbers) discovered that they were being trailed, they diverted to Alaaka road where they opened fire on the police patrol team pursuing them. In the process, the three suspected robbers were fatally wounded while the vehicle was recovered from them.” The CP noted Indabawa disclosed that when police conducted search on the Honda Accord car, items such as the vehicle document and other documents found in the car indicated that the vehicle belonged to Engineer Ademola. Other items recovered from the killed robbers included, an A-K 47 rifle, one double barrel locally made pistol, one single barrel locally made cut-to-size shot-gun, 101 rounds of live ammunition, nine rounds of live cartridges, eight assorted mobile phones, one laptop and the sum of N17,170.00. The Commissioner of Police said the robber who was killed at Seko area was trying to evade a police checkpoint. He revealed that the occupants of the car, a Toyota Camry, with registration number ST 57 AAA refused to stop at the check point prompting the policemen to pursue them. But the occupants of the car, in order to evade arrest opened fire on the policemen chasing them and an exchange of gun fire ensued. In thye process, one of the occupants of the car was killed while the three others escaped into the bush. Indabawa explained that the vehicle was immediately recovered while on the spot search led to the recovery of two shot guns, 12 rounds of live cartridges, one knife, four assorted handsets and one cutlass. The CP disclosed that some of the particulars recovered from the car revealed the owner as Omowunmi Abubakar of Yinusa Balogun bust stop, Okota palace, Lagos.
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WEMABOD Estates to deliver N4b Apapa Mall in June
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EMABOD Estates Limited a member of Odu’a Group is set to deliver a N4 billion shopping mall dubbed, at Park lane, Apapa GRA Apapa on a 13,000 square metre land. Barring challenges from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) over imported containers expected through the Wharf, the massive project named Apapa Mall is billed to be delivered in June according to the developer and current president of African Union of Architects (AUA), Chief Tokunbo Omisore. Omisore said no fewer than 28 containers are being expected from the wharf to kick-start the mall in 6 months. He said the major anchor tenants are Shoprite, Pep store, Mr. Price among other South African companies. He observed the avalanche of South African companies in Nigeria which he said was being helped by the massive support they receive from their home government in terms of funding which is in the region of 5¹/² per cent for the investors. Omisore said that it does not however negate the presence of some local brands such as Ruff & Tumble, Casabela, Medplus and others as the space is only 90 per cent taken. Earlier Managing Director of
By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie
WEMABOD estates Limited, Mr. Olumide Ologun said the development of the Apapa shopping mall was conceived to put into good use the derelict properties of the company in Park lane. He said the properties were not only underutilized with non paying tenants but the revenue base of the conglomerate was also dwindling. Ologun said the company took the decision on the mall to raise the bar in the shopping experience of Lagosians. He said: “90 per cent of the spaces have been taken up though regretting that the company still have funding challenges making us to partner with developers and other private sector partners to deliver on some of the planned projects in order to deliver good return to our owners.” Apart from the shopping mall WEMABOD estate has also delivered 200 units of 3 bedroom flats in Ibafo Ogun state and other luxury estates in Lagos, he added. Chairman of the company, Dr. Adebayo Adewusi while addressing the Board of Odu’a Group who visited them at their corporate head quarters in Western House, said apart from the challenge of investible fund-
•Apapa Mall under construction ing to execute projects and low level board approvals which is hampering their operations they have launched Real Estate Investment Trust (REITs) to execute certain projects. He also revealed that they have embarked on projects in Ibadan in conjunction with some private sector investors. On some of the projects, Adewusi reeled them out as, the Builders Mart in Ondo state, 200 housing units in Ogun state, Shopping mall in Ekiti and yet to be finalized housing project in Osun state.
The Group Managing Director of Odu’a Investment Co. Limited, Dr Adebayo Jimoh commended the management of WEMABOD estates on their achievement so far in real estate development with all its challenges. He praised them on the launch of REIT which will help them raise fund to execute some of their projects. Finally the Chairman of Odu’a Group , Dr. Isaac Akintade encouraged the management to always put forward their request to the board, promising that they will always find ways of meeting their needs . He
commended the judicious use of the available finance by the management as discovered from their personal findings and visits and pledged more assistance to them to succeed. He urged them to see the whole of South west as one in the distribution of projects and amenities. According to him the idea is to grow the prosperity of the region to bequeath a lasting legacy for the younger generation like the founding fathers did in establishing the company in the first instance.