Broadcasting firm petitions security agency over alleged blockage of company’s emergency gate by influential neighbour

The management of Metropolitan Broadcasting Services Limited owners of Impact Business Radio (IBR 92.5 FM) a.k.a. Amutajero and Impact Africa Television (IATV), Kolapo Isola Estate, Ibadan, have petitioned the Department of State Service (DSS), over alleged  flagrant infringement on the company’s  property by an influential resident of the area.

Penpushing report that, a petition written by Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the establishment, Deacon Owolabi Oladejo which was dated July 25, 2022 called on the Oyo State Command of the Service to prevail on Barrister Lekan Thanni and the Association said to be behind the illegality to retrace their steps.

The letter called on need to remove the blockade of company’s emergency gate and to allow the oganisation  as law abiding  enjoy peaceful use of its  property without any molestation, explaining that, Ihe  allotted plot 8, Kolapo Isola Estate was approved  by the Oyo State Ministry of Lands with Certificate Statutory Right of Occupancy by the State Government

‘I am lodging this report to formally complain about the flagrant infringement on our property. I am Owolabi Oladejo, the Founder/ CEO of Metropolitan Broadcasting Services Limited owners of Impact Business Radio (IBR 92.5 FM) a.k.a. Amutajero and Impact Africa Television (IATV), Kolapo Isola Estate, Ibadan’, the petition reads.

‘I was allotted plot 8, Kolapo Isola Estate by the Oyo State Ministry of Lands (Appendix 1). I obtain Certificate Statutory Right of Occupancy by the State Government (Appendix 2). I applied and got approval for Change of Use to enable me use the land for Commercial purpose (Education) (Appendix 3)’, Oladejo explained

‘I got building approval which includes gates in front and emergency exit gate at the back (Appendix 4) We completed the construction of Impact House in 2013 and we have been using the building since 2014’, he added.

‘There has never been any security breach on or through Impact House.  We have a 24/7 security guard system and CCTV that monitors the surroundings and some offices inside the building critical to our operations’, Oladejo emphasised.

‘It should be noted that for security and other emergency reasons, given the size of the building, number of employees, caliber of our usual guests and visitors and the purpose of Impact House, it is a requirement for such a building to have at least 2 means of exits; regular and emergency exits’.

‘The emergency exit is expected to be located as far away as practical from other exit routes. This will ease evacuation of employees and other occupants in the building in case of an emergency, reduce risk should any of the usual pathways be blocked by fire, smoke or where for any other reason(s) it becomes unsafe to get out through the normal exit’.

‘In conformity with international building standards and in accordance with the approval given by the regulatory authorities Impact House has two regular exit routes in front and an emergency exit at the back. The emergency exit at the back of the building leads to a road inside Kolapo Isola Estate’, the letter said.

‘The emergency exit gate also serves as access to the IBEDC isolator for maintaining our dedicated transformer and fuel tankers for discharging diesel for our generators. Thus, the gate doesn’t just serve as an emergency exit it is also critical for our operations as a business that relies on power through IBEDC or generators’.

‘On Friday, 13th May 2022, we observed that some people have erected a wall to seal up our emergency exit gate. The CEO, though not within Ibadan, placed a call to Barrister Lekan Thanni, the Chairman, Kolapo Isola GRA Residents Association’.

‘We were made to understand that they sealed up our premises for the security of the community especially because a “big man” resides in the estate. We were never contacted. We consider the sealing up of our exit gate as an egregious trespass; an audacity of impunity. The CEO rushed down to Ibadan and contacted some elders of the association. A meeting was called for Saturday 14th May, but Barrister Thanni did not attend the meeting’.

‘We eventually pulled down the wall. On Sunday, 17th July, 2022, the Association, led by Barrister Thanni again erected a blockade on our emergency exit gate. Kolapo Isola Estate is a government estate allotted to top civil servants, serving and retired, Justices and Lawyers, seasoned professionals and accomplished businessmen/women’.

‘It is therefore clear that the landlords and residents are certainly not ignorant of the consequences of sealing up or altering another allotee’s property without any form of communication with the affected fellow allotee and the express approval of the Ministry that allotted the land and approved every development in the estate’.

‘Can this caliber of elites be ignorant of the need for an emergency exit gate for a building of such size and purpose or the implication of blocking access to power supply for a radio and television station? Or can there be a hidden motive?  Who is after Amutajero 92,5Fm?’

‘ It is therefore our prayer Sir, that you use your good offices to prevail on Barrister Lekan Thanni and the Association to remove the blockade of our emergency gate and to allow us as law abiding citizens enjoy peaceful use of our property without any molestation’, the management said.

Penpushing reports that, the Chief Executive Officer of the company said, while looking forward from prompt response from Department of Security Services(DSS), to make myself available to provide further details in support of the complaint when necessary.

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