Minister of Works, David Umahi
Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has issued a stern warning to real estate developer Winhomes Global Services Ltd., demanding proof of its alleged $250 million diaspora investment — or face a formal petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The controversy centers on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, which Winhomes claims has affected its estate in the Okun Ajah area of Lagos.
During an on-site inspection of the highway project on Monday, Umahi questioned the legitimacy of Winhomes’ financial and land acquisition claims.
> “Winhomes says it bought 12 hectares of land in 2022 for N50 million,” Umahi stated. “I don’t know if the villagers were terribly cheated, or if due process was ignored. With all the development around, that figure just doesn’t add up.”
He further clarified that, based on the highway alignment, only four hectares of the said land were impacted — not the entire 12 hectares as Winhomes implied.
According to Umahi, land ownership and rights in the area fall squarely under the jurisdiction of the Lagos State Government, which has already revoked and gazetted the affected plots to pave way for the highway.
> “Our role is simple — we request the right of way, and Lagos State grants it. The matter is now beyond the Federal Ministry of Works,” he added.
The Works Minister also revealed that Winhomes had taken the Ministry to court over the matter and lost.
> “Let me make it clear — I never called Winhomes for any meeting or negotiation. The court has ruled that we acted lawfully. As far as I’m concerned, the case is closed.”
But what drew Umahi’s strongest reaction was Winhomes’ assertion that Nigerians in the diaspora invested a whopping $250 million in the estate — a claim he found deeply suspicious.
> “If you’re saying $250 million came from the diaspora, where is the documentation? Where are the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) remittance records? Who paid, and how? This is public money we’re talking about — not a rumor mill.”
> “If we can’t locate the funds, the people who paid, or the channels through which they paid, then in my opinion — it’s a fraud,” Umahi declared.
He also pushed back against claims that the ministry diverted the highway route without cause, saying the decision was made to avoid damaging crucial telecommunications infrastructure like MTN and True Africa cables — based on directives from the presidency.
> “The President specifically instructed us not to tamper with any telecom cables in the national interest.”
Umahi has now given Winhomes seven days to produce verifiable documents backing their financial claims. Otherwise, he says, a formal petition will be submitted to the EFCC.
> “They owe Nigerians an explanation — and if they can’t provide it, they owe Nigerians an apology.”
NAN
