Residents, Developer Bicker over Telco Mast Installation in Lagos

Kayode Tokede

The residents of Muhammed  Buhari Police Estate, Badagry Expressway, Lagos state and estate developer, Remax Realtors have engaged in a war of words over a telecommunication mast being  installed  inside the estate.  

The estate belonging   to Nigeria Police Cooperative is managed by Remax Realtors  with  Mrs Funke Adesoji as  the chief executive officer(CEO):

The Chairman of the Estate, Mr. Adetarami Adigbe in a chat with THISDAY said, “The residents do not want to be confrontational with nobody since authority of the estate have given approval. However, we are telling them that telecommunication mast is dangerous and deadly to human health.”

He urged those handling the installation to relocate the mast far from residential area for the sake of humanity.

“We are appealing to the developer to relocate the telecommunication mast far away from the residential area,” he said. 

The resident recently had a peaceful protest, calling on stakeholders to come to their rescue.

The residents with placards that read:, “We don’t want to fire from radiation from telecommunication mast, and children exposed to electromagnetic radiations from telecommunication masts suffer from memory loss”, among others were protesting at site of the telecommunication mast construction.

Speaking at the protest, Mr. Oluremi Oladayo said  that the management of Remax Realtors does not take the lives of the residents serious amid installing a telecommunication mast close to residential areas.

He added that the management of the estate fails to consult with the residents, calling on stakeholders to intervene.

He said: “Nobody was informed before bringing the mast into the estate. We have an association and she failed to consult the chairman before erecting the mast.We are appealing to the government, those in power to assist the residents in suspending the erection of the mast inside  Muhammed  Buhari estate in Badagry, Lagos state.    It is dangerous to human health. We have nowhere to go and we have been calling her to move the mast forward or find somewhere far.”

Another resident, Mrs. Oyedele said the residents have been managing a lot of issues including security, water and electricity supply.

She said: “We have been managing with the management of the estate since these issues were not life threatening. It was like rumour and suddenly, we saw engineers, other workers at the site.

All we were told was mast erection has commenced. Telecommunication mast is dangerous to health and Mrs Funke Adesoji  understands the risk involved. The radiation that is coming out of  the mast is capable of deforming unborn baby, cause cancer and consistent headache under the person dies. We are wondering why she opted to install it in a residential environment.The mast installation involved health and we the women in the estate are against it.

Responding, the developer of the Estate, the CEO, Remax Realtors said: “Operator that wanted to install the mast approached us, and they brought all their approval and records.

“As I speak to you, the police cooperative has approved for the mast to be erected. If they(residents) have any problem, they should visit the Police.

“What is the purpose of a mast, its relevant and how does it affect the health before we jump into conclusion? The residents of the estate are going to benefit mostly from the mast. It is not affecting their health by any means.

“The residents think I have collected hundreds of millions of Naira. Some people have been living in that estate for eight years and I wanted to ask how much are they paying for maintenance of infrastructure, or security? For the Police officers in the estate, Remax Realtors is paying them on a monthly basis.

“If I have the means to develop the estate and improve the lives of the people, will I not take it; I am a businesswoman. How much is the operator paying per year?.”

“If I wanted to have any consideration on the location of the mast, it will be with the Nigerian Police Cooperative. 

“Every resilient have their own allocation of land and anything outside your space does not belong to you. Where the mast is located right now is not on anybody’s house or entrance.

“The operator is paying N1.5 million per year and we intend to use the money to fence the place.

The Assistant Inspector General of Police/Executive Secretary, Nigeria Police Cooperative multi-purpose Society Limited, Ikeja, Lagos AIG Oyediran Adesoye in a signed letter dated March 25, 2024 and titled, “”Re-request for approval for the installation of mast at Muhammed Buhari Estate, Mowo, Badargy, approved the mast installation.

The residents legal practitioner, Alex Afolalu & Co in a letter addressed to the Assistant Inspector General of Police with titled “Urgent petition against Remax Realtors for the unlawful attempt to erect a mast in the Muhammed Buhari estate, Mowo Badary, Lagos State against the provisions of the section 10 (1), 11 (3) of the NCC guidelines for the installation of telecommunications masts and Towers 2009,” stated that Remax Realtors, in contravention of established laws and regulations, has failed to comply with essential legal requirements, including but not limited to failure to obtain: BTS Permit, Aviation Height Clearance Permit (AHC), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Compliance, Local Government Stacking Permit and Nigeria Communications Commission License.

The legal practitioner representative, Omolara Ajibokun and Alex Afolalu stated that the NCC Guidelines for the installation of Telecommunications Masts and Towers 2009 clearly states that: “Any person erecting a telecommunication mast or towers whose height exceeds 20 meters shall be required to obtain a permit from the commission before such mast or tower is erected.”

The petition reads: “ The provisions of Section 11(3) of the aforementioned guidelines enunciates further: “ It shall not be lawful for a person to engage in the business of installation of telecommunication mast and towers without a valid license issued by the commission.”

“Furthermore, despite numerous attempts to engage Remax Realtors and bring them to a reasonable resolution, all efforts have fallen on deaf ears. Remax Realtors have failed to involve the Community Development Association (CDA) of Muhammed Buhari Estate, Mowo, Badagry, Lagos State, indicating a disregard for the local community and established protocols that has brought the community to its present state of development.

The aforementioned violations do not only showcase Remax Realtors’ lack of respect for legal procedures but also raise serious concerns about the health and well-being of the residents residing in close proximity to the mast within Muhammadu Buhari Estate, Mowo, Badagry, Lagos State. The construction of telecommunication infrastructure without proper permits and clearances can lead to electromagnetic radiation exposure, which has been associated with various health risks like cancer amidst others.

“On behalf of our client, we urge the Nigeria Police under your esteemed leadership, to take immediate and decisive action in addressing this matter. We request a thorough investigation into Remax Realtors’ actions, enforcement of applicable laws and regulations, and the suspension of mast construction until all necessary permits, clearances, and environmental assessments are obtained and deemed compliant by relevant authorities.

“Furthermore, we implore your office to collaborate with relevant agencies such as the National Communications Commission (NCC), the Community Development Association (CDA) of Muhammadu Buhari Estate, Mowo, Badagry, Lagos State, and the local government to ensure full compliance and adherence to legal and environmental standards.

“We trust in the diligent efforts of the Nigeria Police to uphold justice, protect the rights of the community, and safeguard our environment and health from potential hazards arising from unlawful activities.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We look forward to a prompt and appropriate response.”