Olayiwola Matthew
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to Winhomes Global Services Limited to publicly provide documentary evidence of its alleged $250 million diaspora investment in the Okun Ajah estate.
He also urged the company to tender a formal apology within the same period, warning that failure to comply would prompt petitions to security agencies and international authorities.
Speaking to journalists during an inspection of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project at Kilometre 18 yesterday, Umahi said the claim that the Federal Government demolished a $250 million estate was false and deliberately misleading. He stressed that the developer, Mrs Stella Okengwu, must account for the source of the money she claimed was invested.
“I need an apology from the woman, and I’ll be writing to the Embassy of America to demand that they send the woman back to us so that she will come and tell us where the money is and how it left America to come to Nigeria,” Umahi said.
“The matter is closed in court. The matter is with the Surveyor-General. And that is the fact. But let us unravel the matter. I’m going to be writing to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and to the Director of the Department of State Services to investigate the Ministry of Works.”
The minister insisted that evidence of the alleged remittances through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) must be published, alongside the names of diaspora investors, proof of approved development plans, and records of actual infrastructure on the land.
“Where is the $250 million investment? That is all we are asking. Show us the evidence through the CBN. How did it pass? Who and who paid this money? Can you publish those who paid and how much they paid?” he queried.
Umahi also pointed out that documents submitted by Winhomes indicated that the company acquired 12 hectares of land in 2022 for N50 million, which he described as suspicious given the location. He argued that inspection of the site showed little more than a perimeter fence, a short stretch of drainage, and a few truckloads of sand.
“The only thing we destroyed was the gatehouse, for which the enumerator graciously gave her N19 million. That is a lot of money. So where is the $250 million?” he questioned.
He clarified that only about four hectares of the property were affected by the highway alignment and that the Lagos State government, which has legal control of the land, had revoked and gazetted the area.
“The matter has gone beyond the Ministry of Works. The Lagos State government has revoked it, they have gazetted it. The court has also ruled that we are right. So I don’t know what they are still talking about,” he said. Umahi maintained that the government was determined to safeguard national interests and warned against attempts to mislead diaspora investors.
“We are not interested in the land. The issue of land is over. We are chasing the money. If they were scammed, it’s going to discourage a lot of people from bringing money. So we want to follow the money and see where it is,” he said.
Civil society representatives who accompanied the inspection also questioned the developer’s claims. Comrade Declan Hekare, an activist who had earlier led protests over the matter, said he found no evidence of substantial investment on the site.
“Coming here, I want to say clearly that what I’m seeing here is below my expectation. If properties were destroyed, I want to see pictorial evidence of how, when, and where, and documents to prove that you actually erected A, B, C. Therefore, as a member of the civil society, I am putting it to her today: if, by the end of two weeks, I don’t see more evidence, I will address a world press conference,” he declared.