The Chief Executive Officer of Winhomes Global Services Ltd, Engr. Stella Okengwu, has publicly criticized Minister of Works, David Umahi, accusing him of misusing federal power and spreading what she describes as “baseless and defamatory” allegations concerning the demolition of a multimillion-naira housing development in Lagos.
In a widely circulated video posted on social media, Okengwu alleged that the Federal Ministry of Works unlawfully razed a Winhomes estate valued at over ₦250 million in the Okun-Ajah axis of Lagos. She insisted that her company secured all necessary approvals and paid all taxes in full before construction began.
“We support national infrastructure projects like the coastal highway,” she stated, “but what happened to our estate was not legal. It was an act of aggression backed by government machinery.”
The Winhomes chief further alleged that officials within the ministry demanded a $150,000 bribe in exchange for rerouting the proposed Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway a request she claims was tied to protecting properties owned by politically connected individuals.
According to her, the demolition was swiftly followed by debris removal, which she described as a “deliberate attempt to conceal evidence.”
Adding a deeply troubling dimension to the controversy, Okengwu claimed that a young boy, identified only as Obanla, was abducted during the chaos of the demolition. She decried what she called the “deafening silence” from both security agencies and government officials on the matter.
“This goes far beyond a property dispute,” she said. “It is an abuse of public office, a betrayal of investor confidence, and a serious threat to Nigeria’s global image.”
In a direct appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Okengwu warned that inaction in the face of what she described as “reckless conduct” by the Minister could have lasting implications for the administration’s credibility.
“If this government is undermined by the actions of one man, the responsibility won’t end with him,” she declared. “Mr. President, the world is watching and your legacy is on the line.”
The confrontation comes amid mounting controversy over the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a massive infrastructure project expected to span over 700 kilometers and take eight years to complete. While the initiative has been lauded in some quarters, it has also drawn criticism from legal experts, diaspora organizations, and human rights advocates, who have raised concerns over land rights, environmental impacts, and alleged lack of transparency.
During a recent ceremony marking the opening of the Lekki-Epe Deep Seaport road, Minister Umahi challenged Winhomes to produce verifiable evidence of its claimed investment in the demolished estate.
The unfolding dispute highlights broader tensions between public infrastructure expansion and private property rights, placing renewed scrutiny on how projects of national significance are implemented and regulated.
