By Esther Onyegbula

A former government building, located in Burma Road,  Apapa, Lagos, has reportedly been  attacked  by hoodlums who allegedly carted away $45,000 and N9.5 million kept in a safe in the building by a bureau de change operator.

The attack was said to be the second within three weeks. A source claimed the first attack took place on February 21.

Some  of the victims alleged that the vandalisation could be traced to their dispute with the new owners of the building  over their continued tenancy.

When Sunday Vanguard visited the building, everything  was  in ruins.

An eye witness, Aliyu Isa, narrating the incident,  said: “The first time the suspected vandals came  on February 21, it was  a Sunday. And they didn’t come during day time. One of the police officers guarding a nearly bank challenged them after they claimed to have been deployed from Area B Division of the police. The police officer wanted to know why they chose to visit the building in the night and not wearing police uniform  if they were acting  legally. They left.”

It was gathered that trouble had  started sometime in April 2014  over the property , said to be  owned by a  state government  development and property  outfit before it was  acquired by the new owners.

Suspecting that the change of ownership documents presented by the new owners may not be valid, the tenants  allegedly went to the state liaison office in Lagos to confirm the authenticity. But the officials  at the liasion office, it was learnt,  pledged to get back to them but did not.

One of the victims, whose office was allegedly  destroyed, Charles Nwakiti, CEO of Cargo Inspection and Freight LTD, told his story, “On Sunday  February 21, some suspected hoodlums came here and removed the roof of the  offices behind the building. Yesterday  (Wednesday), I received a call at about 9 pm that some people with police officers were vandalising our  offices. We went to the police station to lodge a report. But before I returned to the building housing my office among others, the suspected hoodlums had  vandalised and looted our offices.

“Apart from stealing digital equipment used for cargo inspection, the hoodlums  also carted away  a safe in my office containing $45,000, and N9.5 m kept by a  friend who is a bureau de change operator.”

The beleagured tenants are alleging that the vandalisation may not be unconnected with the move by the new owners to force them out of the building. “They first vandalised the downside of the building on Sunday, February 21  and the upper part of the building on Wednesday night,”Nwakiti stated.

“I have been a tenant in this building for the past 19 years.  A state government was the original owner  of the property; we rented the estate from them. Like other tenants, I pay my rent yearly. In April 2014, they gave us a letter notifying us of the change of ownership. The following day, Saturday, the new owners brought a quit notice. The quit notice did not consider that the occupants rent was yet to expire.  With the quit notice,  all the  tenants  occupying the building went into  negotiation with the new owners for them to extend our stay. They asked us to pay N300, 000 each for 12 months to enable us get a place. That N300, 000  lapsed on December 31, 2015.”

Explaining further, Nwakiti noted that, as a group , the tenants went to court because they felt they needed  more time to relocate. “We eventually got a court injunction to stay whatever action the new owners had in stock. But rather than honour the court processes, they took the law into their hands and destroyed our properties. This building in question was allegedly bought by a serving  senator,”he added.

It was learned that the case was reported  at  Area B  Command,  Apapa, Lagos whose officers  were said to be  investigating the incident.