A civil rights organisation, the Save Lagos Group, has dragged a civil servant, Mr. Adewale Akeju, and a contractor working with the Lagos State Public Works Corporation (PWC), Mrs. Oyinlola Odiye, before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In a petition signed by the Convener of the Save Lagos Group, Comrade Adeniyi A. Sulaiman, dated Thursday 21st of December, 2017, the group specifically accused the two of abuse of office, official graft and outright extortion of the residents of the state who have one or two businesses to transact with the state government.

According to Sulaiman, Akeju who is a staff of the Lagos State Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs has violated extant civil rule, which preclude workers in the employment of the state government from engaging in other business activities by engaging in the supply of bitumen and diesel products to the PWC.

In the petition obtained by newsmen on Friday, Sulaiman stated that Akeju have refused to pay all outstanding bills to suppliers of the commodities that he has been supplying the PWC and has even gone further to threaten to “deal with them should they request for their money from him”.

The civil right activist stated that the outstanding amount of money Akeju willfully defrauded suppliers of his commodity by over N7m since April 2017 despite the fact that he has been paid by the management of the companies where he had made the supplies to.

“From our findings, we have been able to establish that Akeju has defrauded two people from whom he sourced the materials that he has supplied so far. Those that have come forward to lodge bitter complaints with tears against him include Rufus Olaleke and Adelabu Adetunji,” Sulaiman stated.

Sulaiman added that one of the affected creditors, Adelabu is currently on admission in a Lagos based hospital owing to the ceaseless pressure on him by the owners of the sources where the materials obtained by Akeju has been mounting on him for the payment of the debt being owed them as a result of his business dealings with the civil servants.

“We have since discovered that Akeju is not a fit and proper person to work in the state’s civil service. He has been utilising the office for activities that are in sharp contrast to the ethics of the service. We have since discovered that many at times, he has been parading himself as an assistant director in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs,” Sulaiman added.

On the infraction committed by Odiye, Sulaiman in the petition added that she has also engaged in outright fraud against his numerous suppliers including Olaleke and others like Madam Yemi Deborah Wilson, Bola Oriola, Comrade Omotosho Ishola and one Mr. Tony Akande.

According to the rights activist, Odiye swindled her victims to the tune of over N34m being the total amount of money to be paid for the supply of diesel, bitumen, sand and other commodities that she had collected from them since June 2017.

He stated that all the activities of Odiye have been shrouded in mystery as no one knows where she lives as all efforts to trace her have become very fruitless.

“We have since discovered that she has been utilising an unregistered company to undertake her business activities. She has even given her victims fake office address at number 2A, Johnson Street, off Dipeolu Street/Off Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos State,” Sulaiman stated just as he urged the anti-graft agencies to institute a probe into how she secured the finance for the purchase of two buildings said to be located somewhere in Akute and Alagbole both in Ogun State.

Odiye is also being accused of also using her religious faith to swindle unsuspecting people of the state claiming to be a prophetess of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) with a view to obtaining money from them illegally.

The petition urged members of the public to avoid any form of business dealings with the two people just as Sulaiman also faulted the management of the civil service in Lagos State for not doing enough to monitor the activities of its workforce whom he stated have been involved in series of activities that would further taint the image of the state.

On its expectations from the EFCC, the group wrote: “We are therefore urging the commission to act on this petition as a means of saving the lives of the hapless businessmen who are daily being subjected to harrowing experiences in the hands of the suppliers of the goods that have been supplied who want payment for the purchases done.”

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