15th May, 2014
Yusuf Muhammed
An estate agent, Lateef Balogun, is on the run after allegedly swindling 60 unsuspecting home seekers in Lagos State, western Nigeria.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the 60 lost N10 million to Balogun.
They paid money ranging from the sum of N60,000 to N420,000 to a company, Balat Construction Company, which is being run by Balogun.
Some people paid N420,000 for a two-bed room flat, some paid N200,000 for a mini flat, while others paid N110,000 for a self-contained apartment.
While giving a breakdown of the number of people that were allegedly swindled by Balogun, Mr. Roland Obinna, who paid N210, 000, disclosed that seven people paid for two-bed room flat, 30 people paid for mini flat and 15 others paid for a room self-contained apartment.
Some of the victims who spoke with our reporter appealed to the Lagos State Commissioner for Police Mr. Umar Manko to assist so that Balogun, who is now at large, would be brought to justice and their money recovered.
When P.M.NEWS visited the house Wednesday, the wife of Alhaji Omitogun, the landlord of the house, said that Balogun usually brought the victims to the house around 10 p.m. and did not allow them to talk with tenants in the house.
“He was able to deceive all of these people because he did not allow them to talk to tenants in the house whenever he brought them to the house. Even my husband, the owner of the house, always asked him what was delaying those that had paid from moving in, but he kept saying that they will pack in very soon, not knowing that he was delaying their moving in so that he could collect more money from the victims,” said Mrs. Omitogun
Some of the victims include Mr. Edwin Usoboh, who paid N270,000, Anuoluwa Oladapo (N60, 000), Prisca Samson (N130,000), Roland Obinna (N210,000), Mrs. Oby Okafor (N100,000), Nurudeen Tijani (N90, 00) and Christopher Anuforo (N160,000).
The landlord, Alhaji Omitogun, has since been arrested by policemen from Area ‘G’ Police Command, Ogba, Lagos, for interrogation, while a manhunt has been launched to arrest the fleeing Balogun.