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IT is exactly a year today, November 1, 2022, that the 21-storey building belonging to Messrs Fourscore Homes Limited on 42 Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, collapsed.
The edifice, which was still under construction when it caved in killed 45 persons including the managing director/ owner of the property, Mr Femi Osibona. No fewer than 15 injured persons survived the incident.
However, one year after, factors responsible for the collapsed structure are yet to be made known to members of the public as the report of the six-man investigation panel, set up by the Lagos State government and chaired by Mr Town Ayinde, a town planner, is yet to be published by the state authority nine months after submission.
Meanwhile, factors bordering on infractions on planning and building approvals, faulty foundation, use of substandard building materials and shoddy jobs were alleged by some industry experts to be responsible.
Since the building collapsed, efforts by the Lagos State government to take possession and demolish the remaining two towers in the complex (14- storey each) also met brickwall as some subscribers took the Lagos State government to court, restraining it from taking further action on the two towers.
The subscribers are seeking an order restraining the defendants from trespassing or further trespassing, demolishing or further demolishing the properties known as Tower 2 and Tower 3 until an independent audit of the property is carried out by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).
They also request for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from disturbing, interfering with, taking, receiving or in any way taking possession of, demolishing, divesting and/or revoking the title, disposing of all or any part of the property, landed or otherwise.
They have applied to the judge to grant an ex-parte originating motion during the court’s annual vacation.
Some of the investors claimed to have paid the late Odubona various sums of money in dollars.
These claims were contained, according to a media report, in the writ of summons dated August 12, 2022, and marked Suit No LD/3962LM/22, filed on behalf of 15 of the subscribers by A.U. Mustapha, a senior lawyer, before a Lagos state high court. Named as defendants are the governor of Lagos State, the Attorney-General of Lagos, the state Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and Edge of Design Limited.
The claimants are seeking general damages of N200,000,000 and another N50,000,000 as the cost of filing the suit.
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Tribune
