The Maplewood Estate Resident Association in Agege is in disarray following the January 3, 2025, demolition of its gatehouse by the Lagos Ministry of Environment and Water Resources. The illegal structure, which the estate’s management built in defiance of repeated warnings, has left residents fuming and fearful as their security hangs in the balance.
A shocking video has surfaced online showing retired LASTMA top official and former Maplewood Estate chairman, Oseni Kehinde Akerele, allegedly obstructing and disrupting the Lagos State Task Force during the demolition of the estate’s illegal entrance gatehouse.
The video footage, shared widely on social media, captures the heated confrontation as Akerele and a group of supporters clashed with officials enforcing state regulations reportedly attacked and detained by the estate’s management at to the nearest police station led by Oseni Akerele.
Meanwhile, the Ministry intervened after repeated warnings about illegal constructions were ignored. Despite official notices, the estate management proceeded to build a soak-away system on the road outside its entrance gate.
But the story doesn’t end there. In a shocking twist, residents are now calling for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and external auditors to step in and investigate alleged financial misappropriation under the estate’s former chairman, Mr. Kehinde Oseni-Akerele, and the exco team.
Now, residents are crying out in alarm, voicing fears that their security has been gravely compromised. “We’re left wide open!” exclaimed a distressed homeowner. “Without the gatehouse, anyone can walk in, and our lives and properties are at risk”
The demolition, part of the ministry’s crackdown on unlawful developments, has left the estate’s management under fire, with many blaming them for defying state regulations and putting the community in jeopardy.
The fallout has residents demanding immediate action, with some calling for interim security measures and others pushing for a complete overhaul of the estate’s leadership.
“Millions were contributed for projects, yet we have no accountability. Now, they’ve jeopardized our safety with this illegal gatehouse,” said a furious resident during a community meeting.
Sources allege that funds earmarked for critical infrastructure were diverted for questionable projects, including the ill-fated gatehouse and an unauthorized septic tank. Residents claim the estate leadership operated without transparency, silencing dissenters and leaving them in the dark about financial transactions.
It was also gathered that sometimes in 2023, the executives of TRAME (The Resident Association of Maplewood Estate), led by Oseni Akerele, approached Punch newspaper to deny corruption allegations in a publication titled “Lagos Estate Exco Denies Corruption Allegation.” This move came in response to an earlier report, “N50m Saga: LASTMA Topshot in a Mess, as Residents Beg EFCC, Others to Probe Him,” among other related controversies. Critics allege the publication was part of efforts to silence community members who dared to question the estate’s administrative affairs.
With security fears escalating and allegations of corruption mounting, the Maplewood community is demanding justice. “We need answers and accountability,” said one resident.
As the drama unfolds, all eyes are now on the EFCC to see if they’ll heed the calls for a full-scale investigation into the estate’s troubled leadership.
