Ex-Lagos council chairman embroiled in multi-billion-naira contracts scandal

Aug 6, 2026 By Economy Post

Mustapha Usman

THE Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State has reportedly spent over ₦3 billion on roads, drainage, and other projects. An investigation by The ICIR, however, reveals that the amounts quoted for the jobs were inflated beyond market value, while others were poorly executed and abandoned.

Janet Adanyari has operated her provision shop along Falana Street since 2010. Every time a vehicle or tricycle drives past the front of her shop, layers of dust settle on her goods, shelves, and the floor.

Oftentimes, Adanyari has to cover her nose whenever she is in her shop, and uses a small rag to dust her goods. It is a daily ritual for her and many others who operate shops close to the main road at Falana Street.

**The abandoned road in front of Adanyari shop at Falana street. PC:Mustapha Usman/ICIR**

Adanyari, whose provision shop is located besides the newly constructed drainage, says the council merely extended the channel from the point where the interlocking and drainage project had been abandoned in 2025. However, she notes that the road itself has remained in a deplorable condition for years.

But the dust is not her only worry. During the rainy season, water washes through the front of her shop. The situation worsens during heavy rainfall when flooding turns the surface muddy and slippery, preventing vehicles from passing through.

“There is nothing we can do,” Adanyari says. “We must eat, so we cannot stay indoors because of dust. We keep cleaning and covering our noses until God remembers us. Most of my customers are children, but some now go elsewhere because of the dust.”

Adanyari, who says she has operated in the area since 2010, recalls that the road has remained largely unchanged over the years.

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Her experience mirrors that of other residents and traders in the area, who continue to wait endlessly for contractors to complete the Falana Road project awarded by the Ejigbo Development Area Council in July 2024.

Quadri Lateef, one of the residents at Falana street — Quadri Lateef, one of the residents at Falana stree

Quadri Lateef, who also lives in the area, is frustrated by what he describes as poor handling of the project after the drainage construction.

“After they did the drainage, the contract engineers sold the soil and sand and packed everything away. We left them because we did not want trouble,” he says, noting that he is unaware any funds had been collected for the full completion of the road and gutter.

Lateef notes that although the drainage itself appears functional, the surrounding road condition undermines its value. He describes frequent vehicle damage along the street and recalls periods when motorists push their cars through particularly bad sections.

**Abandoned road, exposed trench in front of Lateef’s house**

“The drainage may be good, but it is not right for people entering the community to meet a road in this deplorable state,” he adds.

Adanyari and Lateef live at the far end of Falana Street, which would later be described as Falana Street Phase 2 by the council. Their houses and shops fall under the unfinished stretch of the street, leading toward Omiyale, which continues to be a nightmare for commuters.

When The ICIR visited the site, tricyclists honked in frustration as motorcyclists struggled through thick dust that choked riders and passers-by.

Progress marred by contract inflation

Many residents of Falana Street are still wading through disappointment months after a multi-million-naira drainage and road project is supposed to ease flooding and improve transportation. Findings show that the project, commissioned under former council chairman Monsuru Bello, was riddled with overpayments, poor execution and fund mismanagement.

The project was split into two contracts during the tenure of the former council boss. The first phase cost N505,065,301.18, while the second phase was valued at ₦212,962,927.80.

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Our findings indicate that the initial project, described as the construction of reinforced concrete drainage along the 944m length of Falana Street, was later re-awarded in parts, including an additional contract reportedly valued at about N54 million.

**Letter requesting approval of over N500 million for Falana Street from the state government**

In a letter dated January 11, 2024 and addressed to the commissioner for local government and community affairs, the council requested the approval of the of N505,065,301.18 for what it described as the construction of the ‘first phase of Falana Road,’ not drainage, as later confimred and approved by the council.

Council approval for the release of N505,065,301.18 for phase one was granted on January 19, 2024, covering a proposed drainage length of 944 metres, which is just under one kilometre.

**Memo showing approval of over N500m by the council for Falana road project**

However, on-site measurements show the completed work spans only 514.65 metres, barely half of the approved length, despite full payment approval. The completed section runs from the main junction to St. Favour Room Nursing Care Maternity Home, just beyond Francel Montessori School, far short of the originally planned 944 metres.

It remains unclear whether the same contractor handled both the drainage and road project, but the work was carried out at the same time and appeared to be parts of the single, composite project. When The ICIR visited the location, apart from the commissioning plaque, there was no signpost to show the project description and the job done.

A similar pattern appears in the road construction itself. Interlocking stones line only the finished stretch, with installation ending near the maternity home and leaving roughly 400 metres of the street in poor and neglected condition.

**The point at which the interlocking and the first drainage project was stopped**

Residents who spoke with The ICIR acknowledged improvements in mobility at the completed 514.65 metres, but said the drainage system fails during heavy rainfall.

**Photo showing the area alongside the road prone to flooding whenever it rains**

Speaking during the field visit, an engineer who accompanied the team, warns that if the flooding is not properly addressed, it may damage the completed sections of the road and significantly reduce its lifespan.

“It appears the drainage is not solving the flooding issue, and that is due to the drainage being blocked and not wide enough to take the water. The drainage size should have considered all these,” the engineer says. “⁠The holes through which the water enters the drainage should be considered and the numbers of holes should possibly be increased,” he adds.

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“If this drainage problem persists, the entire stretch will begin to fail sooner than expected.”

Costs raise red flags

Bill of Quantities (BOQ) estimates reviewed by this reporter indicate that constructing 514 metres of drainage should not exceed N160 million, including excavation and earthwork, filling, slab installation, compaction, preliminaries and workmanship.

Bill of quantity as prepared by an independent surveyor purposely for this investigation. The bill shows drainage construction cost of N139 million. When preliminaries and workmanship are factored in, it costs N160 million.

Instead, the council approved release of N505 million, which is triple of the amount spent on the project. This raises concerns about possible fund mismanagement.

A quantity surveyor estimates the total cost for the completed 514 metres, including interlocking, kerbs, preliminaries, and contractor charges, at about N245.74 million.

The quantity surveyor explains that workmanship is typically calculated at about 10 percent of project value, which is N223.5 million. Then 10 percent of the amount stands at N22.3 million. Applying this industry benchmark raises the realistic execution cost of the existing drainage segment to roughly N245.74 million.

***A team of engineers at Falana street for on-sight investigation***

In the case of 944 metres long of drainage approved by the council, investigations show that the project should have cost only N313,698,925.56 after all the valuation, including preliminaries and 10 percent of the total approved amount for the contractor.

Another N54m paid for same inflated project

Months after the partially completed project was commissioned in 2025, contractors returned to extend the drainage toward the start of Omiyale Street.

The initial approval of more than N505 million for phase one had already provided for a drainage stretch longer than the portion ultimately constructed.

However, instead of enforcing completion under the original scope, the council approved new funding for work that residents say was poorly executed.

In October 2025, The ICIR reported how a civic group under the umbrella of Concerned Citizens of Ejigbo petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), listing among others the approval of an additional N54 million for “construction of reinforced concrete drainage at Falana Street.”

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Site inspection shows that despite the reported additional payment, the drainage has not been sealed, leaving an exposed side trench running alongside the concrete structure.

**Exposed side trench of drainage constructed at Falana Street**

Residents say the exposed side trench has put them, particularly children, vulnerable to injury, as unsuspecting pedestrians could accidentally step into the potholes.

Another N212 million awarded for Falana Street

Although the initial phase of the road project was left incomplete, records show that the council approved an additional N212,962,927.80 in July 2024 for the construction of Falana Street (Phase 2).

**Council’s approval of payment for Falana phase 2 project**

Despite the approval by the former council chairman on July 29, 2024, the remaining stretch from the maternity home to Kila House (Oyekunle street) and the Omiyale end of the street remained uncompleted and abandoned as of the time of going to press.

In the memo requesting approval, the road was described as ‘worrisome and deplorable,’ noting it had remained in poor condition for years. However, on-ground assessment indicated the approved funds did not translate into meaningful construction, as residents continued to lament the state of the road.

**Current state of Falana road (phase 2) despite approval of over N200 million**

Notably, the N505 million earlier approved for phase one should have covered at least 400 additional metres beyond where it was currently abandoned, which the second phase expectedly should cover. But the project has been abandoned despite the funds approved in 2024. Curiously, the road was hurriedly commissioned before Bello left office, even though large sections remained visibly incomplete.

In the execution of the project to where Falana Street ends, The ICIR, in consultation with civil engineers and a quantity surveyor, found that interlocking the street from where the first phase ended would cost N55 million after sand bedding, sub base, preliminaries and workmanship had been considered.

This means that the N212,962,927.80 approved for Phase 2 could have funded nearly four full completions of the remaining road section.

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Baba Ayinde Olohunloba had high hopes in 2024 when Candyrain Ventures arrived in his community to dismantle the old, community-owned drainage with plans to upgrade it and construct a standard drainage system along Ogunti/part of Majiyagbe Street.

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**Olohunloba explaining the history of abandonment of Majiyagbe road project**

He imagined an end to years of flooding and unmotorable roads and hoped for a future of smoother rides and rainwater that would no longer threaten his home and business.

But months later, that excitement turned into deep frustration when the contractor dragged on a project that should take only 6 months. His frustration grew as the abandoned open trench left his house and business vulnerable to flooding.

According to Olohunloba, after the initial excavation, the engineer vanished for months. He also noted that the project began at the far end near the canal, leaving the section in front of his house incomplete.

When the rains came in 2025, floodwaters washed through his home and many others. His block-making business was often damaged, prompting him to take matters into his own hands.

**Photo showing blocks mounted by the community after the contractor disappeared from site**

“We had to ask the engineer if we could construct and put blocks in the holes ourselves, and he said we could. So, we did the gutter ourselves. Months later, he finally came back to build his own drainage. Since then, it has been an inconsistent attempt to make the system work,” Olohunloba says.

Even after the engineer returned in 2025, the drainage section near the canal beyond Olohunloba’s house was left open, exposing homes and makeshift structures where some traders live.

The open gutters, lacking slabs as initially promised, also became sites for open defecation.

No construction activity was observed during the reporter’s visit. By the roadside lay heaps of granite and sharp sand. In addition, potholes and uneven bumps said to have been caused by flooding scattered across the road. They also continue to hinder smooth and safe vehicular movement.

**Photo showing granite left on site by the contractor and exposed iron in the drainage, indicating an unfinished slab. Mustapha Usman/ICIR**

Abandoned despite contract inflated by over N450m

An on-site investigation shows a disconnect between the scale of public funds released for infrastructure on Majiyagbe Street in Lagos and the limited work visible at the project site.

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During a visit to the site on February 8, 2026, the only activity attributable to the project was a short stretch of partially constructed drainage.

**A short stretch of drainage leading into the canal at Majiyagbe. PC:Mustapha Usman/ICIR**

There was no evidence of road grading, interlocking installation, access slabs, or any of the complementary civil work typically associated with a standard drainage-and-road intervention of such financial magnitude.

Although the contractor signpost signals only the construction of drainage for the street, a civic group under the umbrella of Concerned Citizens of Ejigbo, in a petition, alleged that a total of N479,118,411 was released for construction of the street.

***Contractor signpost at Majiyagbe. PC: Mustapha Usman/ICIR***

Measurements taken during the inspection reveals that the executed structure covers just 78.35 metres on one side of the road and 42.5 metres on the opposite side, with an average depth of 0.8 metres and width of 0.7 metres. Even this limited construction remains unfinished and abandoned.

The ICIR, alongside engineers, observed exposed reinforcement bars protruding from the concrete, refuse altering the designed slope and blocking water flow, and visible misalignment suggesting that the drainage walls fall short of acceptable engineering standards.

No additional work corresponding to the nearly half-a-billion-naira release could be identified on the ground.

To determine whether the expenditure aligns with the physical progress recorded at the site and the amount the completed project could cost, engineers reconstructed a bill of quantities restricted strictly to the 120.85-metre drainage already built.

The bill of quantity indicates that excavation, filling, concrete works, reinforcement, and formwork for the drainage were collectively valued at N14,299,665.58, while preliminaries were estimated at N714,983.28, bringing the total expected drainage cost to N15,014,648.86.

***Bill*** **of quantity for Majiyagbe drainage system**

Applying this industry benchmark raises the realistic execution cost of the existing drainage segment to roughly N16.5 million.

When this engineering valuation of N16.5 million is compared with the ₦479.1 million reportedly released for the street, the difference suggests a potential inflation level running into about 29 times the realistic construction cost.

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The ICIR also checked how much the completed project could cost. The quantity surveyor says that the project may only cost about N52,083,577.05.

Nearly 1bn spent on another 1km road project

The pattern of inflated local government road contracts in Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) continues with the Jubril Olabisi Road project, a short stretch of road whose cost is also disproportionate to its scale.

**Jubril Olabisi street, Ejigbo. PC: Mustapha Usman/ICIR**

By contrast, Jubril Olabisi Street shows a seemingly successful intervention when compared to Falana Street and Majiyagbe.

The road measures roughly 627 metres, fully interlocked over 572.3 metres, and flanked on both sides by a completed drainage system. The project, executed by Rockdom Integrated Limited, was approved for a contract sum of N922,341,656.41, with payments cleared on November 29, 2024.

The contractor was mobilised to the field in 2024 but completed the project around April 2025. The project was consequently commissioned by ex-council chairman Bello in July 11, 2025.

**Memo showing the approved payment for Jubril Olabisi Street**

An independent Bill of Quantities (BOQ) shows that constructing the interlocking road, the dual-sided drainage system, culverts, and necessary preliminaries and workmanship should not have exceeded ₦275.77 million, far less than what the project cost.

Of the N275.77 million,, interlocking the pavement accounts for just over N60 million, the dual-sided drainage and kerbs approximately N156 million, culverts about M10 million, and preliminaries roughly N22.79 million.

While many residents laud the completion of the road and acknowledge the improved mobility and drainage in the area, some express shock and incredulity upon learning that the contract is worth nearly a billion naira for such a short stretch of road.

When The ICIR visited Rockdom Integrated Limited company to request information about the project, one of the company’s employees confirmed that it was executed by the firm but declined to provide relevant details, stating that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) is currently investigating the project.

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The ICIR subsequently filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the company, but no response was received.

Niyass Street gets N1bn for half a kilometre road project

In a similar development, the Ejigbo council also approved upgrading of a road with interlocking stones at Sheik Niyass to Rockdom Integrated Limited in July 2024 at a contract sum of N981,198,222:24.

**Sheikh Niyass road project approval by the Ejigbo council**

Findings showed that the project was also completed in 2025 and commissioned by the former chairman Bello before he left office. The road project spanned about 593 metres long, with the drainage, roughly one metre deep and 0.8 metres wide, runs cleanly along one side, with 18 nos of culverts cutting across at intervals.

Despite the road being slightly shorter than Jubril Olabisi Street and has drainage on only one side, it received a higher allocation than the Olabisi Street project.

The independent bill of quantities for Sheik Niyass Street prepared by an independent quantity surveyor totals N189,573,654.41, covering the interlocking, drainage, culverts and preliminaries.

For a road of that length and specification, the quantity surveyors consulted by this reporter describes the figure as ‘excessive and inflated.’

Double Star street riddled with potholes despite N34m payment

Despite government claims of filling and grading Double Star Street with N34 million in Jakande Estate, commuters and residents have continued to battle with poor road conditions long after funds were released for repairs.

**Current state of Double Star Road despite claim of spending N34m on rehabilitation**

The council, in February 2025, approved N34 million to Gake Global Resources LTD for Double Star Street rehabilitation, a sum residents were told would address potholes and surface degradation. But months after the contract award, the stretch of road remains riddled with potholes, depressions and craters that trap vehicles, slowing and worsening during the rainy season.

Residents say that at some point in 2025, engineers filled potholes with stones and graded parts of the road, but several sections were left untouched.

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They note that the street’s surface often breaks apart soon after minor rains, forcing drivers to slow down or swerve, further contributing to congestion and wear on vehicles.

Other residents attribute the poor condition partly to inferior workmanship or incomplete surface compaction.

It was independently learnt that despite the approved N34 million purposely for the project, the road was largely filled with sand and asphalt sourced from other street projects, including Falana and Niyass streets. Residents at Falana Street also say that the contractors packed away sand after fixing the drainage, leaving the drains exposed and open.

Public records show that Gake Global Resources Ltd was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in 2021, four years before the project was awarded. However, the company displays little evidence of prior experience, particularly on its social media platforms.

Its first Instagram post in April 2023 and subsequent posts show minimal projects or work that could demonstrate the expertise or track record needed to execute a contract of this scale.

Although the company is active with the CAC, The ICIR could not locate a functional website for Gake Global Resources Ltd.

When The ICIR reached out to the company on February 25, 2026, for comments on these findings, the effort was unsuccessful. Calls to the phone contacts listed on the company’s Instagram page went unanswered. Subsequently, messages were sent via SMS and WhatsApp, but no response was received as of the time of publication.

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Efforts by The ICIR to obtain response from former Ejigbo LCDA chairman, Monsuru Bello, was unsuccessful.

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In a correspondence sent to Bello on February 18, 2026, The ICIR sought explanations regarding the status, cost, and execution of several projects executed during his tenure.

Bello, however, declined to provide answers, citing an ongoing investigation. In a formal response, he wrote:

“The subject matter referenced in your request is currently under active investigation by the ICPC. Disclosure of records relating to an ongoing law enforcement investigation is exempt under the Freedom of Information Act where such disclosure could interfere with enforcement proceedings, prejudice investigation, or affect the rights of the person involved.”

The Ejigbo LCDA also declined providing information or reacting to the ICIR’s findings. In response to a FOIA request sent in a letter dated February 12, 2026, and signed by the Deputy Director of Legal, Okoya A. Adegoke, the council said that it could not comply with The ICIR’s FOIA request.

Lagos officials decline to respond

The ICIR contacted the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Bolaji Robert, to seek an explanation of the cost-evaluation process applied before granting approval for the Ejigbo LCDA projects.

Calls placed to the commissioner were not answered, and a follow-up WhatsApp message sent thereafter did not receive a response at the time of filing this report.

A message was also sent to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Kehinde, who said he could not speak on the matter concerning the ministry without approval. He promised to facilitate an interview with the commissioner but of press time, no feedback had been received.

Similarly, enquiries were directed to Chief Press Secretary to Governor Babajide Sanwolu, Mr Gboyega Akosile, requesting clarification on the state’s oversight framework and whether any review had been initiated in light of the discrepancies identified.

No response was obtained from him at press time.

Also, The ICIR reached out to the ICPC spokesperson, Okor Odeh, on the status of the investigation. He promised to look into the matter and get back. However, there was no further feedback as of the time of filing this report.

This investigative report was funded and first published by our partner, the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (The ICIR).