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Businessman Tunde Taiwo Accuses Chinese Firm Sheng Xin of Illegal Takeover, ₦500m Property Demolition
…Says He Followed Due Process, Seeks Government Intervention, Justice
A small-scale industrialist and promoter of Sevam’s Gases and Real Life Products, Mr. Tunde Taiwo, has cried out for help following the alleged demolition of his ₦500 million gas production facility by a Chinese firm, Sheng Xin Industrial Co. Ltd, and its local collaborators.
Mr. Taiwo, whose company deals in industrial and medical gases, including carbon dioxide and oxygen for commercial and hospital use, alleged that his plant located at Peteh area along Lagos-Ibadan Airspace Way, Ogun State, was illegally invaded and destroyed by men who claimed to be acting on behalf of another firm, Sengen Industries Limited, said to be owned by Chinese nationals and one “Olugere’s son.”
According to a petition written to the Commissioner for Justice and the Attorney General of Ogun State, the incident occurred in mid-October 2025, when over a hundred men, including armed mobile policemen and heavy-duty equipment operators, stormed his premises without any court or government demolition order, razing down buildings, production equipment, and storage facilities valued at over ₦500 million.
Recounting how the crisis began, Mr. Taiwo said he lawfully purchased the land measuring one acre in August 2023 from the Asurugbe family of Ogere Remo, under Ogun State jurisdiction.
“Before I bought the land, I went to the Ministry of Lands in Abeokuta. The government surveyors came, charted the land, and confirmed that it was free from acquisition,” he narrated.
“They advised me to do the survey, submit all my company documents, and begin the process of ratification since the land fell within government-acquired territory. I followed every instruction to the letter.”
He said that after completing all necessary assessments, officials informed him that another company, UNIFED, had an overlapping boundary, and both parties were advised to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
“We were ready for the MoU, but it never materialized. Still, we had no issues. We commenced operations peacefully by December 2023, producing industrial and medical gases,” he said.
For months, the company operated without interference. The traditional landowners, led by Alhaji Awusipe of the Asurugbe family, reportedly attended the plant’s commissioning ceremony.
“No one ever challenged our presence or ownership. Even the families who sold the land stood with us during development,” he said.
However, Mr. Taiwo said trouble began on May 1, 2025 (Workers’ Day) when he was alerted that a 40-foot container had been placed across the factory entrance by individuals claiming he had encroached on their land.
“They locked my customers inside and blocked access. They claimed we encroached on their property, even though their own land had been untouched, undeveloped, and only accessible through ours. It was shocking and provocative,” he recounted.
According to him, he reported the matter to the Ogun State Task Force on Land Grabbing and Illegal Development, as well as the Area Command of the Nigeria Police. He also involved the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning, where petitions were submitted to relevant authorities.
“I wanted peace. I warned that if government didn’t step in, it could lead to confrontation or bloodshed,” he said.
Mr. Taiwo’s worst fears materialized on Saturday, October 17, 2025, when heavily armed men invaded his property.
“They came in about four trucks, five vehicles of mobile policemen with no identification, and a caterpillar,” he said.
“When asked for any demolition order or official backing, they said none was needed because they were taking possession of their land.”
He said his lawyer intervened, and the police temporarily stopped the demolition. However, by Monday, the attackers returned, allegedly backed by individuals claiming to have “court approval.”
“At the meeting with police, they tried to show us a document that turned out to be fake. Even the officer who read it said it only mentioned adjusting a fence, not demolition,” he alleged.
Despite the confusion, the group allegedly leveled the entire plant, destroying production machines, gas storage areas, administrative buildings, and perimeter fencing.
“They didn’t just destroy; they stole. Some of the vandals carted away valves and gauges, thinking they were scrap metal. I lost everything I’ve worked for in over 27 years of my career,” he lamented.
After the destruction, Mr. Taiwo claimed the same group fenced off the entire area, barring him and his workers from accessing the premises.
“They fenced it completely. I can’t even go in to salvage a single item. It feels like my property has been seized in broad daylight,” he said bitterly.
He accused a local monarch, the Ologere of Ogere, of being complicit in the takeover.
“The Ologere’s son, together with the Chinese partners, were behind everything. They claimed to have bought the land in 2024 months after I had purchased and developed mine,” he stated.
According to information seen on the CAC website, the company Sheng Xin Industrial Co. Ltd was incorporated in October 2023, after his own acquisition, yet allegedly produced backdated documents to justify their claim. Checks also revealed that the Ologere’s son is a director of the company.
“They even forged a family member’s signature to claim ownership of all the surrounding land,” he alleged.
“Even if they believe they have a case, the law is clear you don’t take possession through violence or self-help. You go to court.”
He however call for Government intervention, Mr. Taiwo appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun, the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, and the Ogun State Task Force on Land Grabbing to urgently intervene.
“I want the government to call the Chinese company and the Ologere family to order. They should compensate me for malicious destruction and theft. The government must also determine the true ownership through proper investigation,” he said.
He further urged the police hierarchy and anti-land-grabbing agencies to ensure that such acts of impunity do not continue unchecked in Ogun State’s industrial corridor.
“This is how investors lose confidence. I worked for nearly three decades in the gas industry, invested all my life savings, and within a day, everything vanished. Government must not allow this injustice to stand,” he appealed.
For Mr. Taiwo, however, it is not just another headline it is a painful reminder that in Nigeria’s property market, due diligence may not always guarantee safety, unless government institutions rise firmly in defense of justice and lawful ownership.
“I only want justice,” he said quietly. “Let the truth come out, and let what has been destroyed be restored.”
When contacted for his reaction, the Ologere of Ogere replied,
“Neither myself nor my son was involved in any demolition of property. It’s better to direct your letter to the company involved. The manager of the Chinese company can be reached on 09127********.”
When contacted, the son of the Ologere, whose name appeared on the CAC document as a director of the company, responded courteously:
“Good afternoon. I am not a director or staff of Shengxin Company, as was wrongly stated in their CAC document which shall be rectified soon. I didn’t lead any demolition, neither do I have detailed information about the incident.
Nevertheless, you can direct all your enquiries to this principal staff of the company 0912*******.”
However, efforts to reach the firm’s owner, Mr. Xuehong Yang, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to text messages as at the time of filing this report neither was there any response from the number given by both the Ologere of Ogere and his son.
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Ex-APC Deputy Guber flag bearer, Joshua MacIver backs Tinubu, express fears over implosion in Bayelsa APC
….congratulates new State Party Chairman, Warman Ogoriba
APC Deputy Governorship Candidate in the 2023 general elections in Bayelsa State, Great Joshua MacIver has declared his total commitment to the re-election of President Bola Tinubu come 2027, declaring that the Tinubu re-election project is non-negotiable.
Great Joshua MacIver, in his statement titled ” BAYELSA APC CONGRESSES: GOING FORWARD, A CALL TO LOOK INWARDS” and made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, warned APC leaders in the state to look Inward and take note of certain factors which may hinder or cut short our victory.
According to Great Joshua MacIver, such noticeable pitfalls include the imbalance in the united front being put up by the State Governor,Senator Douye Diri among various political blocs in the state.
In the statement issued at the weekend. Great Joshua MacIver stated that “First, before His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, joined the APC in the state, there were clearly two political blocs that made up the party, with the approximate population ratios of the blocs standing at 95% to 5%.”
“After the entrance of His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, ONLY THE SMALLER BLOC IS BEING CARRIED ALONG IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE PARTY, leaving the greater percentage to their fate, and this situation has the potential to build anger and dissatisfaction in our dear party.”
” The consequence of this has been the high level defection we have witnessed in the party recently and we believe more may likely follow, if we do not put our house in order.”
” If we do not pull together as a party, we may witness a situation where we will lose key stakeholders, especially after the State and National Assembly Primaries as well the Gubernatorial Primaries.”
“Finally, while it is very clear that we are the party to beat in the 2027 elections and that our loyalty to Mr. President IS NON-NEGOTIABLE, we must make haste to say that we cannot afford to create situations or loopholes in our unity which will be exploited by other political interests in the state. We cannot afford to under-rate anyone.”
“Our core interest remains the re-election of Mr. President, a project to which we have committed our all. We also pledge our total loyalty to the party as we have no alternative to the APC. However, our concern is that we must, as a party, look inwards and ensure that we do not create loopholes that can impede our common goal.”
Great Joshua MacIver, however congratulated the newly elected State Executives of the APC in Bayelsà State led by Hon. Warman Ogoriba, saying their emergence is welcomed at this critical time in our national history.
At least 23 people were killed in a series of suspected suicide bombings, police in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri said on Tuesday.
https://www.stanbicibtcbank.com/nigeriabank/personal/products-and-services/all-loans/stanbic-ibtc-mreif-home-loans
More than 100 other people were injured in the blasts that took place on Monday evening in the capital of Nigeria’s restive Borno state.
No group has claimed responsibility for the suspected attacks.
The deadly blasts come after a military post was attacked overnight Sunday to Monday, which authorities blamed on suspected Islamist militants.
This sad incident is coming barely two weeks after Primate Elijah Ayodele, the Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church specifically warned against attacks in some states. He mentioned these states while calling on security operatives to pay close attention to them.
These were his words:
“Another attack is coming up in these following states where the military must watch carefully and intelligently; Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Borno, Kwara and Kogi state. They want to do a deadly attack, it’s preventable but it depends on how they will handle it. I have told you about the danger coming up.”
@primateayodele
Unfortunately, some of our military agencies don’t believe spiritual intelligence can save the country from so much danger hence, their neglect of this prophetic warning but now, it has been fulfilled with the miliary losing credibility by the day while Primate Ayodele continues to gain momentum.
Likewise, At least 26 passengers and crew sustained varying degrees of injuries on Monday following an accident involving the Kaduna–Abuja train, according to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
Opeifa explained that the train departed Rigasa in Kaduna at 7:15 a.m. and was approaching Asham station around 9:16 a.m. when a loud bang was heard after the power car and trailing locomotive collided with one of the passenger coaches.
In July 2025, Primate Ayodele asked nigerians to pray not to see train mishap on the Kaduna-Abuja route.
@primateayodele #nigeriantiktok🇳🇬 #fulfillment #train #abuja #primateayodele
“Let’s pray not to see train mishap in Abuja-Kaduna, Kaduna-Abuja route.”
This has also been fulfilled.
The project ends decades search for investors, boosts Nigeria’s blue economy
By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare
Nigeria’s maritime sector is set for a major transformation following a landmark agreement involving the world’s largest container shipping company, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), which has secured a 45-year concession to build, manage and operate a modern container terminal at Snake Island Port in Lagos.
The project, to be developed in partnership with Nigerdock, marks one of the most significant private sector investments in Nigeria’s port infrastructure in recent decades and is expected to strengthen the country’s role as a major maritime gateway in West and Central Africa.
For Nigeria, the agreement brings to close decades of efforts to attract large-scale investors to develop Snake Island Port, a strategically located maritime asset in Lagos.
Long-standing concession history
Snake Island’s maritime facilities date back several decades. In 1992, the Federal Government granted a 99-year concession for the island’s port and industrial facilities to Nigerdock, a major maritime engineering and logistics company.
Nigerdock was later privatised and is currently operated by the Jagal Group owned by Nigerian industrialist Maher Jarmakani.
Over the years, the Island Container Terminal fell into disrepair, requiring major rehabilitation and modernization to meet modern global shipping standards.
The new partnership with MSC is expected to transform the port into a state-of-the-art container handling facility capable of attracting larger vessels and increasing Nigeria’s cargo throughput capacity.
Buhari administration approved the project.
The investment framework for the Snake Island development was approved in May 2023 by the Federal Executive Council under then President Muhammadu Buhari.
The approval authorised total private investment of approximately $974.1 million for the project under a Public-Private Partnership structure, including the 45-year concession period.
At the same time, the Federal Government also approved two other major maritime infrastructure projects:
• Development of the Ondo Multipurpose Port in Ilaje, Ondo State, with $1.48 billion in private investment and a 50-year concession.
• Expansion and development of the Burutu Sea Port in Delta State, involving $1.2 billion in private investment and a 40-year concession.
These projects form part of Nigeria’s broader effort to develop its blue economy and expand maritime trade capacity.
Construction partners
Engineering and construction of the Snake Island container terminal will be handled by:
• ITB Nigeria Limited
• DEME Group
ITB Nigeria Limited is part of the Chagoury Group and owned by the Chagoury family, while DEME Group is a globally recognised Belgian marine engineering and dredging company with extensive experience in port construction.
MSC profile
Founded in 1970 by Italian shipping entrepreneur Gianluigi Aponte and his wife Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, MSC has grown from a single cargo vessel into the largest container shipping company in the world.
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the company operates in more than 155 countries and serves over 500 ports worldwide, with a fleet of roughly 900 container ships and over 200,000 employees globally.
The MSC Group also operates major logistics and maritime businesses including inland logistics through Medlog, cruise tourism through MSC Cruises, and port terminal operations across several continents.
According to Forbes, the estimated net worth of MSC founder Gianluigi Aponte is about $43.9 billion as of February 2026, placing him among the world’s richest shipping magnates. The company remains privately owned by the Aponte family, with both founders holding equal ownership stakes.
Management comments
Speaking on the development, MSC Group President Diego Aponte said the company is committed to strengthening its operations in Nigeria and across Africa.
“We are proud to expand our presence in Nigeria through this important infrastructure project. The Snake Island terminal will enhance service delivery and improve port efficiency for our customers and partners in the region,”
Chief Executive Officer of Nigerdock, Maher Jarmakani, described the agreement as a major milestone for the Nigerian maritime sector.
“We are delighted to partner with MSC in developing a world-class container terminal that will enhance Nigeria’s logistics capabilities and support economic growth,” he said.
Economic impact
Industry analysts say the project could significantly strengthen Nigeria’s maritime economy by expanding cargo handling capacity, reducing congestion at Lagos ports and attracting additional international shipping traffic.
The development is also expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs across maritime operations, logistics, transport services and port-related commercial activities.
Infrastructure expansion
Beyond the port development, plans are also underway for Nigeria’s first underwater tunnel, linking Ahmadu Bello Way in Victoria Island through Snake Island and connecting the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway with the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway corridor through Badagry.
The tunnel project is expected to significantly improve freight movement and road connectivity between Lagos ports and national transport networks.
Strategic milestone
With the entry of MSC into the Snake Island development, industry observers say Nigeria is taking a significant step toward modernizing its maritime infrastructure and positioning itself as a regional hub for global shipping and trade.
For a project that has waited for decades for major international investors, the Snake Island concession represents a turning point in Nigeria’s port development strategy and a strong signal of global confidence in the country’s maritime future.
By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare
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