The late Managing Director of Fourscore Heights Ltd, Femi Osibona, was served a contravention notice and stop-work order before the collapse of the 21-storey building in Ikoyi, Lagos.
This was revealed to the Lagos Coroner established to resolve the circumstances leading to the recent collapse of the structure.
An Assistant Director in charge of the Inspectorate of Quality Control of LASBCA, Mrs Oluseun Randle, disclosed while she was being cross-examined by the counsel to Prowess Engineering Nigeria Limited, Mr Ola Adeosun.
Recall that Prowess Engineering Nigeria Limited was the structural engineering consultant to Osibona, which withdrew its services over a dispute on how the project was structurally executed.
Mrs Randle is the officer overseeing Eti-Osa, Victoria Island, Surulere, Yaba, Lagos Mainland and Ikoyi where the 21-storey building collapsed.
She said the late Osibona also prevented the officers of the engineering company from accessing the site when construction was ongoing.
The witness told the Coroner, Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, that LASBCA had visited the site of the building collapse to check the level of compliance on three occasions.
According to her, an officer first visited on February 13, 2019, adding that he peered through a small opening in the gate and observed piling equipment.
“He moved closer to observe the piling operation and to gain access to the premises. The security operatives manning the premises did not allow him entry. He was only asked to wait outside of the gate for the developer (Osibona).
“After some minutes, the developer came and the officer told him he wanted to serve a notice.
“He (Osibona) told him that he could not go in, and if he tried to forcefully gain entry, he would tell the security to release the dogs.
“The monitoring officer served a Contravention Notice and Stop Work Order dated February 13, 2019, on the structure. The notice and order were to be complied with within 48 hours,” she said.
