Some landlords of City of David Estate, an estate developed by Adron Homes in the Shimawa area of Ogun State have complained about alleged harassment by security guards engaged by the estate developers.
PUNCH Metro gathered that on Wednesday, one of the residents, Henry Adeyemi, was in a scuffle with some of the security guards after he reportedly refused his trunk to be checked when he was driving into the estate.
A video of the incident obtained by our correspondent from one of the landlords showed Adeyemi being forced into a security van by security officials who reportedly invited policemen from the Shimawa Division to pick him up.
A landlord, who introduced herself as the Assistant Secretary of the Residents Association in the estate, Efosa Irhabor, said on Thursday that the residents had been having lingering issues with the developers of the estate over levies and other maintenance.
Irhabor said, “The recent one is the security issues. They disengaged the previous security men and engaged new ones. We have our security men that do night patrols. The estate security men do man the main gate to check those that come to work in the estate. He (the company’s GMD) changed them.
“Yesterday (Wednesday), a resident was coming in and he was asked to be checked in. He was about to allow them to check him when one of the security men said ‘This is one of them.’ That got the man sparked.
“We have been adamant that they cannot impose on us, we have to synergise. But it’s like there is a kind of malice and disorientation that ‘deal with them.’ The man got angry and challenged the guard’s identity for not being well dressed and carrying a gun because he didn’t know him. He then refused to open his boot and wanted to go and open the gate by himself.
“The security men attacked him, beat him and he retaliated so there was a fight. Adron Homes then brought policemen. He was molested, and the policemen could not even do anything, it was the Man o War guys that were doing the molestation. We all went to the station and he was refused bail. There is no day the security guards will not harass and be rude to us.”
Another resident, Adeniyi John, alleged that he was also harassed at the gate last week Wednesday.
“He (the company’s GMD) changed the security personnel without any notice given to us, that was not our agreement. He gives the last command without hearing from us. Maybe they were told we are tenants,” he said.
But two landlords, Dr Osa and Patrick Ineomoh, wondered why anyone would refuse to be checked by the security personnel.
“How can people who came to buy a portion of land be teaming up against somebody doing his own business and saying that they are now owners of the estate? They are fighting security men just because they don’t want to open their boots. They have evil agenda. I ran away from their association,” Osa said.
“There have been other incidents before now. It’s just a question of some individuals not agreeing to comply with basic security rules like checking vehicles,” Ineomoh noted.
Contacted, the Executive Director, Public Affairs and International Relations, Adron Homes and Properties Limited, Oluwakemi Osude-Laniyan, said when the company received information that the aggrieved persons beat up security personnel, the company only advised that a complaint should be lodged with the police.
Osude-Laniyan said, “We have these people, less than 10 of them, causing problems in that estate. Suddenly they formed an association which we cannot go against.
“What we realise they have been trying to do is to bring themselves together under the umbrella of the association. They are claiming to be the owners of the estate. How can that be possible?
“You came as individuals into the estate and suddenly, you want to gang up and take ownership of the place from the owner. Each of you is only entitled to the lot that you bought, anything after that is trespassing.”
She explained that the matter was already before the Mediation Centre, Alausa.
“We are willing to work with them as long as they are willing to be reasonable. We are ready to toe the line of peace with them as long as they show understanding. Somebody cannot be building and you are going to be tackling the person over ownership, they cannot do that. They all have agreements they signed. Adron Homes estate belongs to Adron Homes,” she added.
Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, said she was still trying to reach the Divisional Police Officer in Shimawa.
(Punch)
