General
How Skye Bank Rendered 3000 Lagos Residents Homeless
By The Witness Newspaper
Skye Bank Plc and its subsidiary, Skye Trustees Limited, are currently enmeshed in fresh controversy following the demolition of more than 200 houses at the instance of the two organisations in Lagos, THE WITNESS reports.
While the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is striving so hard to achieve its target of delivering affordable housing to the people, the Tokunbo Abiru-led financial institution and its subsidiary on Thursday, July 26th 2018 visited hardship on the Glorious Villa Community in Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State which housed over 3000 inhabitants when they demolished the properties.
THE WITNESS reliably learnt that trouble started when Skye Bank was discreetly sold a large expanse of land allegedly belonging to about 55 families by four of the families in Abule Parapo Phase 2, Awoyaya area of Ibeju Lekki.
It was further gathered that after winning the land dispute case from initial land grabbers, another set of family unit had three years earlier sold some plots located behind the famous Greenspring International School for the sum of N1.5 million each to the occupants who are now homeless after the destruction which gave them no chance to salvage their belongings.
Unknown to these family units, the four family units had also obtained a court judgment behind the scene and went ahead to sell the entire 200.184 hectares of land plus the court judgment to Skye Bank and Skye Trustees Limited which rushed to the Lagos State government through high-powered officers for the authentication of the lands in their company name.
Skye Bank, THE WITNESS learnt, reached out to the lawyers of the property owners to come over for ratification and demanded that they should pay sums of money ranging between N4 million and N8 million for the ratification of each of the plots in contention.
The property owners had suggested further negotiation and had reached a compromise with the bank, but Skye Bank allegedly went ahead with the demolition of the properties with the backing of about 300 armed operatives from various security outfits that harassed the residents and seized their belongings including phones and cameras.
The Skye Bank-ordered demolition has thrown the residents of the area into a state of distress and agony as majority of them now take refuge in uncompleted buildings outside of the community. Others have resorted to talking solace under the bridges around the area while some have moved in with their relations as squatters pending when luck will smile at them to acquire new accommodations.
Affected residents, most of who are customers of the Skye Bank have been counting their post-demolition losses, lamenting the suffering they are forced to go through.
“This pain is too much to bear, and to think that it comes from a bank I hitherto held so dear is worrying to me,” lamented a woman who did not provide her name.
Mr Wise Iyanla while narrating his ordeal to THE WITNESS correspondent said: “I, my friends, my comrades and my families, we are closing all our accounts in Skye Bank. This is a trying moment but we will win this battle!
“As a young man in the corporate world, I strove harder to do some expensive things. One of the things I did was to strive to build a bungalow here in Ibeju Lekki axis (Awoyaya) and my land was properly acquired from the legitimate owners who originally acquired the landed properties from their forefathers as inheritance.
“All of a sudden, just last month here, I was at work when I received a WhatsApp message from a co-landlord, informing me that our properties built with our hard-earned sweat were being demolished by Skye Bank and their agent, Lekki Gardens Estate Limited with a battalion of security personnel to protect their heinous action.
“What can I say as a young father and hustler? I said to my co-landlord, man can never be hurt. What took us years to stand, as struggling young Nigerians, were demolished in minutes.
“The most painful aspect of the story is the fact that our buildings were demolished in error because there was no court judgment that warranted the destruction of our properties and I doubt that the IG was aware of the illegal police officers outing during the criminal and malicious destruction of our properties and now that it is established, 10 billion for the accounts is feasible.”
Another affected resident, a 64-year-old widow and retired civil servant, Mrs Oyekunle Azeez, said ever since the incident, she has been living in a church and her blood pressure had risen. “In tears, the elderly woman said: I laboured so hard before I retired to build this house, how have I offended the bank and their directors? This was all I had. Why do they want to send me to an early grave?” Mrs Azeez lamented.
The lawyers representing Glorious Villa Community Development Association, Reagan Nzeteh & Co. has written Lekki Gardens demanding the sum of N10 billion from Skye Bank Plc and Skye Trustees Ltd for what it called trespass to land, willful/criminal/malicious damage of its client’s properties and illegal demolition of the properties in Abule Parapo Phase 2 by the two organisations. They have also threatened to sue the trio if the money is not paid within a stipulated period of time.
In the same vein, the inspector general of police has been petitioned regarding the illegal use of over 300 police officers in the operation.
Efforts by our reporter to reach the management of Skye Bank and Skye Trustees for their angle to the development proved futile as enquiries sent to the bank were not responded to as at press time.
Culled from The Witness Newspaper

General
Pastor Ogbueli’s Abuja Night of Glory Holds Today
By Blaise Udunze
Momentum is gathering for the Abuja Night of Glory taking place today, Friday, December 5, 2025, at the main bowl of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.
The crusade is being hosted by Dominion City Church headed by Pastor David Ogbueli and it starts by 7pm.
The all-night programme will feature dynamic worship leaders like Nathanial Bassey, Dunsin Oyekan, Theophilus Sunday, Chioma Jesus, Kaestrings, Sunmisola Agbebi Okeleye, Minister GUC, Ebuka Songs, Anthony Kani, and DC Angels.
Reputed as a teacher of righteousness and anointed minister of the gospel, evidenced by the miracles that have trailed his ministry, and one who champions the cause of the poor through empowerment initiatives, Dr. David Ogbueli will be joined by renowned ministers from within and outside Nigeria, including Evangelist Andres Bisonni, Dr. Charles Ndifon, Evangelist Dan Scott, Apostle Ikechukwu Nnajiofor, and several others.
Night of Glory has, in previous editions held across Nigeria’s cities, recorded remarkable results, such as immediate healings and freedom from chronic ailments, recovery of vision and movement after many years of paralysis, along with liberation from dependencies and emotional distress. Numerous participants have also shared testimonies of breakthroughs and big personal changes after the experience. Organisers state that this year’s event, in Abuja, is anticipated to exceed previous editions.
The event is intended for all individuals trusting God for divine intervention in any area of life.
Understanding the role of faith in the destiny of individuals and nations, a dedicated prayer session for Nigeria will take place during the crusade to tackle some of the current challenges being faced in the country and also to uplift he leaders and institutions before God.
Attendance is free, and registration is encouraged via the QR codes on event banners. Organisers expect a massive turnout as worshippers travel from across the country for what is anticipated to be a transformative encounter.
Adequate security and free transportation have been put in place ALL over the city of Abuja, while those outside Abuja are expected to join online.
General
Rivers Speaker, 15 Other Lawmakers Leave PDP for APC
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr Martin Amaewhule, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
At the plenary on Friday, Mr Amaewhule joined the ruling party from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), along with 15 other members of the state parliament.
This development comes some months after they had earlier declared their support for the APC in the wake of a crisis with the state governor, Mr Sim Fubura.
The lawmakers had an issue with Mr Fubura, which led to a state of emergency declared on the oil-rich state by President Bola Tinubu in March 2025.
This embargo was only lift in September 2025 after the duration of the six-month emergency rule in the state.
A few days ago, members of the Rivers Assembly passed a vote of confidence on President Tinubu, backing him to remain in office till 2031, when he would have spent eight years in office if re-elected in 2027.
Announcing their defection today, the lawmakers pinned their decision on the crisis rocking the PDP at the national level.
It is not certain if their political godfather, Mr Nyesom Wike, who is the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will join them in APC.
Mr Wike, who governed Rivers State from 2015 to 2023, has been accused of instigating the crisis in the opposition PDP. He was expelled from the party last month at a national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
General
Nigeria Risks Brain Drain in Energy Sector—PENGASSAN
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has warned that Nigeria risks massive brain drain in the oil and gas sector due to poor remuneration.
The president of PENGASSAN, Mr Festus Osifo, said at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union on Thursday in Abuja that the industry was facing challenges arising from Naira devaluation and inflation, noting that, oil and gas skills remained globally competitive.
Painting an example, he said, “A drilling engineer in Nigeria does the same job as one in the US or Abu Dhabi,” noting that the union must take steps to bridge the wage gap to prevent members from leaving the country for better opportunities abroad.
“If we don’t act, the brain drain seen in other sectors will be child’s play,” he said.
According to him, PENGASSAN has recorded significant gains through collective bargaining across oil and gas branches.
“We signed numerous agreements across government agencies, IOCs, service and marketing sectors,” he said.
He said the agreements brought relief to members facing rising costs of living, adding that, the association’s duty is to protect members’ jobs and enhance their pay.
Mr Osifo urged companies delaying salary reviews and those foot-dragging as a result of the prevailing economic realities, to do the needful.
He said the industry employed some of the nation’s best talents, making competitive pay critical to retaining skilled workers.
“This industry recruits the best. Companies must provide the best conditions,” he said.
On insecurity, Mr Osifo urged government to take decisive action against terrorism and kidnappings across the country.
“We are tired of condemnations. government must expose sponsors and protect citizens,” he said.
He urged government at all levels to prioritise tackling insecurity through better funding and equipment for security agencies.
Mr Osifo said PENGASSAN supported calls for state police to improve local security response, adding that decentralising policing will protect citizens better than rhetoric.
He also said economic indicators meant little, if food prices remained high and farmers could not return to farms due to insecurity.
“Nigerians want to see food on the table, not macroeconomic figures,” he said, urging the government to coordinate fiscal and monetary policies to ensure economic gains reach households.
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