The community members of Emure Ekiti in Emure Local Government Area of Ekiti State have raised concerns about a possible fraudulent sale of the council’s four-bedroom duplex. They are urging stakeholders to step in and recover the property. The property in question, situated at Irewolede Estate, Ado Ekiti, was reportedly sold under questionable circumstances by the local government chairman.
The Emure Ekiti Good Governance Advocacy Group, representing the indigenes, claimed that the building, originally purchased by the council for N12.5 million in 2008, was sold for N8.5 million in March 2024. However, the council chairman refuted these allegations, stating that the sale was conducted properly after the Ekiti Housing Authority threatened to revoke the land due to the building’s poor condition.
In a letter dated August 2, 2022, addressed to the President of the Emure Ekiti Progressive Association, the community members alleged that the property was sold for N85 million, contrary to the N8.5 million declared by the chairman. They expressed concerns about the lack of transparency and due process in the sale, emphasizing the discrepancy in the declared sale amount compared to the actual value of the property.
The community is calling for an investigation into the alleged illegal sale, urging authorities to take necessary actions to annul the sale, recover the property, and address the issues surrounding the transaction. The chairman defended the sale, stating that it was approved through proper channels and the proceeds were used to benefit the local government officials by acquiring a new property to end renting expenses.