Kindly share this story:writes on the increasing rate of land and housing scams in the country, the modus operandi used by illegal developers and ways to end the menace.
The agent suddenly became unreachable, leaving Esther with little alternative but to hope for some kind of luck. This was when her path crossed with our correspondent, who wasted no time in telling her that the said agent was not only fake but crafty. The said apartment was non-existent, our correspondent told her, even as he admonished her to carry out background checks on listed property before making payments.
The experience of Esther amongst other Nigerians is a common occurrence in major cities in the country, not excluding Abuja, the nation’s capital. Activities of phoney agents have been on the rise in recent times due largely to unemployment. They target unsuspecting ‘clients’, some of whom are new to the Federal Capital Territory. These agents give enticing incentives which are difficult to resist.
Stories like this abound in Abuja’s city centre and surrounding suburbs as housing is a basic need for every man, including street beggars. The bliss of having a secure place to rest one’s head at dusk is underestimated until one needs shelter. As every Nigerian adult earning a decent income wants to be a homeowner, this means more business for property developers who are in the unending business of solving housing deficits.