Embattled Lekki Garden boss, Dr Richard Nyong, has faced criticism, following the national honour conferred on him (Officer of the Order of Niger, OON). His past is back to haunt him. Many believe Nyong has no business being a recipient of the national honour as he has not contributed anything notable to the development of Nigeria. Instead, he threw many families into mourning as a result of the death of some workers on his building site.
In 2016, a five-storey building caved in at Ikate Elegushi area of Lagos, leaving 34 people dead. The building located at Horizon 1, Lekki Gardens which was under construction, was part of the phase 3 project by the Lekki Garden Estate, which caved in after a heavy downpour.
Most workers who died in the building were reportedly waiting to collect their wages from the contractors. Some of them were said to have been owed up to N40,000. Nyong was arrested then but later granted bail.
It isn’t the first time that the Akwa Ibom State-born real estate mogul would be losing people on site. One of his staff, identified as Steven Magilo, reportedly died after falling off the eighth floor of a building under construction a few years ago.
The incident happened exactly at the Royal Palm Drive, Osborne Foreshore Estate Phase 2, Ikoyi, Lagos State. The 30-year-old was confirmed dead in a hospital within the vicinity. The incident was reported at the Dolphin Police Station but it was allegedly swept under the carpet. He was also dragged by 20 unit owners in the Horizon Premier-1 Estate in Lekki, Lagos before a Lagos high court over alleged distortion of the estate layout to build shops in the space originally meant for children playground, green area and recreation facilities.
The claimants demanded an immediate reversion to the original layout in the 33-unit estate, while some subscribers also demanded compensation.
