A developer, Mr. Michael Aniagboso Aka, says his life is in danger.
As a result, he is calling on Gov. Peter Mbah and the Enugu State Government to come to his rescue.
He alleges that the Enugu North Local Government Council, Chairman, Dr. Ibenaku Onoh and a subcontractor, Tochukwu Nzekwe are making life unbearable for him over a contract he executed for the local government.
Aniagboso, who is the Director of the Diamond M & B Construction, said he had an agreement with the Council in 2020 to develop a Plaza at Coal Camp Spare Parts Market called “Jesus Bu Eze Plaza.”
The Plaze which was constructed on Build, Operate and Transfer, basis has a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, that his company would manage the plaza for 25 years before the Council assumes total ownership.
However, less than a year after the job was delivered, Enugu North Local Government Council, backtracked on the MOU and edged Diamond M & B Construction out and started collecting revenue from the Plaza in negation to the contract agreement.
Consequently, Aniagboso, approached the Speaker of the State House of Assembly to prevail on the chairman, Ibenaku Onoh to honour the dictates of the contract and allow the company to continue to collect revenue from the plaza as agreed.
Onoh refused to heed the advise of the Speaker, thus Aniagboso has decided that help can only come from the Governor.
Hear him:
“I work with local governments on development projects in partnership with private investors.
“In 2020, the then Enugu North Local Government Chairman, Emeka Onunze awarded the company a Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) contract.
“We commenced the project and by 2024, the new administration (Gov. Peter Mbah) came in. The project was officially commissioned on 4th March 2024 by the Deputy Governor.
“Initially, the project had 182 shops, but it has now expanded to about 300 shops, including 32 fully furnished toilets.
“Dr. Ibenaku Onoh inherited the project at completion. However, the terms of the agreement were clear: that the project was a BOT and that I would manage it. Profit sharing was agreed at 70% to the developer and 30% to the Council, although he initially demanded 50:50 before but later accepted 70:30 after the intervention of Enugu State House of Assembly Speaker.
“According to the agreement, the Local Government and my company were to open a joint account where all revenues would be paid. Instead, they forced me to remit funds into personal accounts linked to revenue mobilization units, not official Local Government accounts and as well as requested that the percentage be shared 50/50. Because of this irregularity, I reported the matter to the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
“The Speaker intervened advised that he should not alter the MOU of 70/30 . He instructed that payments be made into an official account.
“An account was opened at Globus Bank, but the Local Government Treasurer and DPM were not made signatories as required. Despite this, I have paid about ₦7 million, with approximately ₦6 million currently in the account.”
Separately, Aniagboso Aka narrated how a sub-contractor Tochukwu Nzekwe who failed to perform his part of the agreement has been terrorising him and his workers at the plaza.
He noted that that non-performance of Nzekwe delayed the timely commissioning of the project. But, rather than allow reason and law to determine the implication of his failure to perform his part of the contract, resorted to continuous intimidation and harassment.
“I awarded a ₦118 million contract for landscaping of the project site, construction and asphalting of car park to a contractor, Chief Tochukwu Nzekwe who claimed to own construction equipment, Toshel construction and equipment Ltd.
“We agreed that the job would be completed within three months. However, he failed to deliver because he had obsolete equipment, and completed less than 10% of the work. I had already paid him ₦27.5 million.
“The matter was reported to the police and taken to court. The court granted an order restraining him from harassing or disturbing me, but he ignored the order. He openly boasted of connections with Judges and the police.
“Recently, he came to the site with thugs and assaulted my workers. Some of them were hospitalised for months because of head injuries and others inflicted on them by the thugs led by Tochukwu Nzekwe.
“I reported this to the police, but no effective action was taken. I also reported to the Local Government Chairman, who did nothing. Instead, he told me that I lacked the capacity to secure the project.
“Subsequently, the Chairman announced that the Local Government would take over the project and revenue collection, instructing me to stop collecting money. I reminded him that the agreement was between my company and the local government under BOT terms, not personal control.
“He ignored this and brought his associates, including his Personal Assistant on Market, Hon. Nonso Ugwu, who has been using thugs to attack us and as well to forcibly collect revenues. The money collected is paid into unknown personal accounts with no transparency or accountability or recourse to the developer.
“I am an investor. I invested a huge amount of money and borrowed heavily to complete this project. Instead of supporting me, they are pushing me out and focusing only on collecting revenue.
“I have approached the Chairman several times with respected individuals, but he refused to listen. I am now being threatened—my life and my family’s lives are in danger. I have been threatened with kidnapping and physical harm. Because of this, I am currently hiding and cannot move freely.
“The Local Government has no legal right to take over this project outside the BOT agreement. I reported the matter to the Attorney General of Enugu State, who is fully aware of the law, yet no action has been taken.
“Despite this, they have taken over the management and revenue collection of the plaza since December, without any recourse to me or the investors. Investors who contributed funds are watching helplessly.
“This situation damages the image of the Enugu State Government and discourages investors. I currently have other investors willing to bring millions of naira into Enugu State, but they are afraid because of this treatment.
“I am pleading for government intervention, especially from the Governor. If the government no longer wants me to manage the project, then I should be properly compensated based on the documented cost of the project, duly signed by the former Chairman. I have all documents—agreements, MOU, approvals, and records.
“I have not even managed the project for one full year, despite being granted 25 years under the BOT agreement.
“I am begging for investigation. If I am lying, let the government investigate thoroughly. All I ask is to be allowed to operate according to the agreement or be fairly compensated. My life is in danger. I need help,” he declared.
Right of Reply: Efforts to reach the LGA Chairman, Ibenaku Onoh; his Personal Assistant on Market, Hon. Nonso Ugwu; and the subcontractor, Tochukwu Nzekwe, for their side of the story were unsuccessful as at press time.
