News
How Elvis Emecheta Attempted Duping A Lagos Business Mogul: Why Abuja High Court Ordered Sealing Of Disputed Lekki Waterfront Property
Contrary to misleading reports and narratives circulating in some quarters regarding the sealing of a disputed waterfront property within the Lekki Peninsula Scheme, Lagos, fresh facts have emerged to clarify the circumstances that led to the court action, the involvement of law enforcement agencies and the role of Lagos State regulatory authorities.
The claimant, Mr. Henry Ugonna Orabuchi has explained that the legal steps taken were a measure of last resort, prompted by what he described as glaring inconsistencies, regulatory violations, and potential fraud surrounding the transaction involving the disputed land.
Background of the Transaction:
Mr. Orabuchi was introduced to Mr. Elvis Emecheta Eze sometime in 2022 by an agent who presented Mr. Emecheta is the owner of a waterfront property located in Lekki, Lagos. He was informed that a substantial portion of the land was waterlogged and that Mr. Emecheta was seeking a financial partner to sand-fill the area, after which the reclaimed land would be sold at the rate of ₦800,000 per square meter.
Following negotiations, Mr. Orabuchi entered into a formal agreement to purchase 3,000 square meters of the reclaimed land for a total consideration of ₦2.4 billion. During the course of the transaction, Mr. Emecheta further requested an additional ₦100 million to fast track the process, which Mr. Orabuchi obliged in good faith. The agreement was executed based on documents presented by Mr. Emecheta, including a Lagos State Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) over the main property, abutting the waterfront.
It was expressly represented that Mr. Orabuchi’s Governor’s consent over the reclaimed portion would be derived from the root of- title of the main property.
Mr. Orabuchi stated that the main property, which already had a developed structure, provided the only access to the waterfront being reclaimed. This made the main property and the reclaimed waterfront land physically, legally, and commercially inseparable, a fact clearly captured in the contract of sale.
It was further agreed that access to the reclaimed land would be created through the main property, including the construction of an access road leading from the existing structure to the waterfront portion.
Regulatory Issues and Red Flags:
Under the agreement, Mr. Emecheta undertook to sand-fill the waterlogged area and perfect all necessary documentation within 17 months, with assurances that the root of title already enjoyed Lagos State Governor’s Consent.
However, following the sand-filling exercise, officials of the Lagos State Government reportedly conducted an assessment and confirmed that only 6,700 square meters of land was legally recognised as having been reclaimed by Mr. Emecheta. Rather than accept and regularise the assessment, Mr. Emecheta allegedly rejected the report, insisting on reclaiming up to 10,000 square meters through the federal government.
During this period, Mr. Emecheta reportedly engaged the services of agents to start marketing the whole reclaimed water front property without releasing and perfection of title documents for Mr Henry Orabuchi, rather, portions of the said property was fraudulently assigned to Lord of Hosts Miracle Church and other business operators.
It is important to question the motives behind the actions of Mr. Elvis Emecheta, who failed to release the relevant title documents to the genuine and legitimate purchaser, Mr. Henry Orabuchi, yet assigned same to a church owner and other business enterprises.
Mr. Orabuchi consiquently alleged that Mr. Emecheta acted deviously by deliberately stalling the title perfection process, thereby evading full performance of his obligations under the contract of sale.
Further investigations revealed that most of the structures erected on the said property by Mr. Elvis Emecheta was constructed without valid planning and proper documentation, which contravened the lagos state building regulations hence, the Lagos State Building Control Authority (LASBCA) moved in to remove the illegal structures during its regulatory assessment exercise. These developments, Mr. Orabuchi stated, directly contradicted earlier representations made to him and raised serious concerns regarding the legality, ownership, and extent of the land.
Law Enforcement and Court Intervention:
Faced with material inconsistencies, regulatory breaches, and the risk of substantial financial loss, Mr. Orabuchi demanded that proper legal steps be taken to perfect the title to the disputed land in order to avoid sanctions or penalties from relevant government agencies that could frustrate the contract of sale duly executed by both parties
Prior to instituting the suit, Mr. Orabuchi petitioned the Office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) against Mr. Elvis Emecheta for Obtaing money by false pretenses, criminal breach of trust, cheating, and conduct likely to cause the breach of the peace. After reviewing the petition, the IGP directed that the matter be referred to Zone 2 Police Command Headquarters onikan Lagos for discreet investigation.
While investigation was still ongoing at the Zone 2 command Headquarters for his criminal culpability, Mr Emecheta allegedly petitioned the IGP monitoring unit Abuja in order to pervert the cause of justice on the matter contrary to the extant directives of the IGP on duplication of cases.
To avoid conflicting investigations, the IGP reportedly redirected the Monitoring Unit Abuja to step aside and allow Zone 2 command to conclude its investigation
Despite the clear directives from the IGP, officers attached to the monitoring units, Abuja continues to threaten and harassed Mr Henry Orabuchi, which necessitated the civil action instituted at the federal high court Abuja in suit No: FCT/HC/CV/ 4636/2025 against the officers attached to the Monitoring unit Abuja and other parties, seeking the protection of his fundamental rights and the preservation of the property in dispute.
Based on his application, the court granted an ex parte order directing the sealing of the disputed property and the suspension of all activities on the premises pending the hearing and determination of the matter. The order was issued specifically to prevent a breach of public peace and to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
Subsiquently, the said property was sealed strictly in accordance with the court order by the appropriate enforcement agents.
Mr. orabuchi urged the general public to disregard the false narratives been peddled by Mr Elvis Emecheta and his team designed to whip up sentiment, he concluded by warning the members of the public and other prospective investors to be wary of Mr. EMECHETA’s nefarious activities and exercise extreme caution in any dealings with him in order not to fall victim.
The member representing Enugu North and South Federal Constituency, Hon. Chimaobi Sam Atu, has flagged-off the completion of the 1.3-kilometre Ndafufa-Ugwuaji–Obeagu Link Road to further open up Enugu metropolis.
The project is part of a phased intervention aimed at improving road connectivity and opening up communities within the constituency.
The first phase covered the Ayo Open Space–Ndafufa Ugwuaji, while this second phase will cover Ndafufa Ugwuaji – Obeagu link road. The third phase is expected to extend to the Obeagu–Obinagu–Obeagu Amechi link road.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony on Tuesday, Hon. Atu emphasised the critical role of road infrastructure in driving economic growth, enhancing connectivity and improving the quality of life of residents.
He explained that the third phase of the project would capture adjoining communities, including Obinagu and Amechi, further expanding the network of accessible roads across the area.
According to him, it is another milestone in the drive towards infrastructure development in Enugu North and South Federal Constituency.
Responding, the President-General of the Obeagu Ugwuaji Town Union, Chief Freedom Obi, expressed the community’s excitement over the project, describing the intervention as significant to the development of the area.
Obi also commended Atu for the quality of work executed during the first phase.
Speaking on the technical specifications and timeline of the project, Engr. Ikechukwu Okorie of Ideas Construction Limited, assured that the earthworks and double-drainage system would be completed before November 2026.
Okorie, who is the engineer in-charge of the project, said: “The road is designed with a standard width of 7.5 metres (in-to-in).
“It will have a dual-drainage system to facilitate effective water flow, protect the road and enhance its durability.”
The completion of the project is expected to strengthen connectivity between Ugwuaji, Obeagu and neighbouring communities, while facilitating the movement of people, goods and services and stimulating economic activities within the area.
By Chinedu Sabastine
ENUGU — The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, has called for a shift from confrontational labour relations to strategic collaboration between organised labour and government.
The National President of the association, Comrade Shehu Mohammed, made the call at the South East Zonal Workshop of ASCSN in Enugu, where public sector stakeholders, union executives and government representatives examined emerging challenges in industrial relations and public service efficiency.
Mohammed said the workshop marked a turning point in the history of labour relations in Nigeria, stressing that modern public administration required dialogue, data-driven advocacy, collective bargaining and mutual respect.
According to him, “true progress for the Nigerian worker is no longer achieved solely on the streets through friction, but at the round table through data-driven advocacy, mutual respect, collective bargaining and strategic alignment.”
He identified three key pillars for effective labour-government collaboration: supporting a robust public service capable of funding workers’ welfare, engaging government early before disputes escalate, and equipping workers with modern administrative and negotiation skills.
The ASCSN president urged participants to approach management disputes with institutional solutions rather than immediate ultimatums, saying negotiation should produce outcomes that benefit both government and civil servants.
He commended Governor Peter Mbah for what he described as transformational leadership in Enugu State, particularly his efforts to transition the state from a public-sector-driven economy to a private-sector-driven one.
Also speaking, the Enugu State Head of Service, Dr. Godwin Chinonso Anigbo, said the civil service remained the bedrock of governance, given its critical role in policy formulation and implementation.
Anigbo said changing times required both labour and government to abandon win-lose approaches and embrace solutions that would serve the interests of all parties.
He urged organised labour to move beyond reliance on strike ultimatums, while advising government to avoid what he described as “judicial ambushes” in industrial courts as a means of frustrating legitimate union demands.
The Head of Service disclosed that the Enugu State Government had established a Public Service Training Institute to promote policy research and build institutional capacity.
He also challenged civil servants to take ownership of government policies and their implementation, warning against the traditional mindset that “Soldier go, soldier come, barrack remains.”
According to him, “if governance fails, both the policymakers and implementers have failed.”
In a goodwill message, Mrs. Ndidiamaka Oke, who represented the Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Enugu State, said collaboration remained the most effective approach to resolving contemporary challenges in the public service.
She said, “Collaboration does not mean abandoning your legitimate rights. Collaboration rather means giving workers opportunity for constructive dialogue.”
Oke stressed that constructive dialogue would enable labour and government to resolve disputes while strengthening industrial harmony and improving public service delivery.
She commended ASCSN for providing an intellectual platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas, experiences and practical solutions, expressing confidence that the workshop’s outcome would deepen cooperation between government, management and organised labour.
Wike stated this while speaking during an inspection tour of flood-affected areas in the Federal Capital Territory on Monday.
Wike said the fragmented nature of the opposition would make it difficult for the parties to mount a strong challenge against Tinubu in 2027.
He declared, “This election, the 2027 election, will be the easiest election for Mr President. 2023 was a tough election for him.”
The former Rivers State governor further argued that the opposition had been weakened by defections and political movements ahead of the next election.
He said, “This election, where the opposition has been crippled, you know what it means? Depleted; they finished them.”
Wike said a credible opposition needed to spend years building a strong political structure instead of moving from one party to another in search of an electoral platform.
He said, “For you to be opposition to remove a government, it must be what you call a strong, vibrant opposition that has stayed for over four years planning, not opposition that is looking for a party to run to.”
He added, “Today, they’re going to Party A. So, you see, that kind of opposition can never win.”
Wike was emphatic about Tinubu’s chances in 2027, saying, “If it is this 2027 election against Bola Ahmed Tinubu, no, forget it. It’s over.”
The minister dismissed criticism from opposition politicians and commentators, saying their media appearances would not erase what he described as the achievements of the Tinubu administration over the past three years.
Wike said, “I don’t want to reply to political commentaries. I don’t want to reply to people who think that appearing before media houses will give them an edge to win an election that they have lost. No.”
He maintained that the administration’s achievements could not be diminished by political criticism.
He said, “Nobody can diminish what this administration has done in the past three years. Nobody can diminish it. This administration has done very well as far as the Federal Capital Territory is concerned.”
He added, “That does not mean I claim that we have solved all problems, no. Are we solving problems? Yes. Have we solved major problems? Yes. Will we continue to solve problems? Yes.”
The minister also spoke on the government’s response to flooding and illegal structures in the FCT.
He warned officials of the FCT Development Control Department against delaying enforcement operations with bureaucratic excuses, saying the administration had the political will to act against structures obstructing waterways.
Wike said, “And let nobody make a mistake that this government lacks the political will to do anything. The person must be making a very big mistake. If there is one minister that has that political will, I have. I have the political will.”
He directed that houses found on waterways should be demolished, regardless of the status of their owners.
He said, “I’m going to bring those houses down! Any house that’s found on the water channel will go down!”
Wike said the enforcement would not be suspended because of the approaching election.
He added, “Whether there is an election, oh, there’s no election, oh, all those houses will go down. Heaven will not fall; rather, heaven will be at peace that the right thing has been done.”
The minister also condemned the conversion of designated green areas in Abuja into commercial parks and other developments.
He said some individuals had attempted to justify such developments by relying on historical claims about land allocations.
Wike said, “Because something that was done wrongly will not be corrected? No, we will not allow that. We won’t.”
He assured residents that desilting and other infrastructure interventions would continue in flood-prone areas, including Lokogoma and the Yakubu Gowon Crescent axis in Asokoro.
He also urged residents to support efforts to address flooding by properly disposing of waste and avoiding activities that could obstruct drainage channels.
OSOGBO — The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the outcome of the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that it is not convinced that Governor Ademola Adeleke secured the highest number of valid votes.
INEC on Sunday declared Adeleke the winner after the Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Olalekan Ogunwale, announced the final results at the commission’s headquarters in Osogbo.
Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dr Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes.
However, the APC said it would not accept the declaration without conducting a comprehensive review of the electoral process.
Speaking on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme on Monday, the Director-General of the APC campaign for the Osun governorship election, Hon. Oluwole Oke, said the party had commenced an audit of the results and electoral materials from the poll.
Oke said the party had directed its agents across the state to submit relevant result sheets for scrutiny as it investigates alleged infractions.
“We need to do the needful which is to evaluate the process, review the process and then form an opinion. We’ve embarked on an audit process; we’ve asked all our party agents to submit copies of Form EC8A, B, C to our secretariat for review. We need to inspect all the materials because we do not agree with the declaration of INEC, and that’s our position for now,” he said.
The APC campaign chief also dismissed suggestions that the party was under pressure to immediately accept the outcome following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s congratulatory message to Adeleke.
Tinubu had congratulated Adeleke after the declaration, describing the outcome as a reflection of the will of the people.
Reacting to the President’s position, Oke said Tinubu spoke in his capacity as President and a democrat following INEC’s declaration.
“Mr. President spoke as the Father of the nation and a democrat following the declaration by INEC,” he said.
Oke, however, maintained that the APC would rely on its own assessment of the election after completing its review.
“We’re on ground and politics is local and, like I’ve told you, what we’re doing is to conduct a thorough review of the entire process and form an opinion,” he said.
He added that the party would not be rushed into congratulating Adeleke, insisting that its preliminary position was that the governor did not secure the highest number of valid votes.
“We won’t be under any subtle pressure to easily reach out to congratulate Senator Ademola Adeleke because we believe he didn’t score the highest valid votes,” Oke said.
The APC is expected to determine its next course of action after completing its audit and reviewing the electoral materials and results submitted by its agents.
ABAKALIKI — The 2027 governorship race in Ebonyi State is gathering momentum, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Odii, unveiling a package of reforms aimed at improving the welfare of workers, teachers and retirees.
Odii made the commitments during a meeting with representatives of Ebonyi civil servants and members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) at his Lagos residence, where he outlined his plans for a comprehensive reform of the state’s public service.
A major component of his agenda is a workers’ housing scheme designed to provide 1,000 housing units within his first year in office and up to 5,000 units over four years if elected governor.
Odii said the housing programme would be structured to minimise dependence on direct government funding, with workers’ contributions and existing pension assets forming part of the financing framework.
He said the initiative would address the housing difficulties faced by workers and retirees, particularly retirees who often struggle to sustain rented accommodation after leaving government service.
The PDP candidate also proposed a paperless digital loan platform that would allow workers to access loans against their contributory pension savings without the bureaucratic delays associated with the existing system.
On retirement benefits, Odii pledged that workers would have access to their entitlements immediately upon retirement, arguing that retirees should not endure prolonged delays in receiving benefits accrued during their years of service.
He further promised to reform the promotion process through computer-based promotion examinations capable of producing results instantly.
According to him, the digital system would reduce delays, curb opportunities for manipulation and promote greater transparency and fairness in the career progression of civil servants.
Odii said the proposed reforms were aimed at creating a public service where workers would have improved access to housing, credit facilities and timely retirement benefits, while ensuring a more transparent promotion system.
He presented the proposals as part of his broader agenda to improve workers’ welfare and reposition the Ebonyi State civil service for greater efficiency if elected governor in 2027.
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