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By Maduka Nweke
The Lagos State Government has warned residents to beware of fake estate agents and swindlers marketing unavailable estate flats to members of the public for outright sale or for rent on social media.
The Commissioner for Housing Moruf Akinderu-Fatai stated this in reaction to one of such fraudulent acts as seen on social media advertising the recently commissioned Lagos State Government-owned Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Estate for sale to members of the public.
“The advertised estate has been fully allocated, and its purported availability for sale or rent as stated in the online video is therefore a fraudulent act by the agent” he said.
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The Commissioner also reminded members of the public that “Lagos State Government does not engage agents to sell, lease or rent housing units in government-owned housing estates”. The Estate department of the Lagos State Ministry of Housing is solely responsible for outright sale of housing units in Lagos State Housing Estates while allocation for Mortgage or Rent-To-Own scheme is a responsibility of the Lagos State Mortgage Board.
Akinderu-Fatai also advised prospective home unit buyers and the public to conduct a due diligence on any purported housing unit put up for sale by anyone by contacting the Estate Department of the Lagos State Ministry of Housing directly before making any decision to purchase.
While the Ministry of Housing and the Lagos State Government will not be liable for any loss incurred through patronage of fraudsters or impostors, any individual or organization caught engaging in the criminal act of deception shall be brought to book.
However, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Abdulhafis Toriola has directed all allottees of Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Estate to take physical possession of their flats or risk revocation of the unoccupied flats. This, according to him, will prevent infiltration of the estates by fake agents who gave unsuspecting members of the public the assumption that the flats are yet to be allocated.
