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…though the deceased did not die intestate, his family members fought over his assets

A crisis is reportedly brewing in the late Femi Osibona family as his wife and relations are said to be at war over the ownership of the properties of the deceased.

It was gathered that the wife, who flew in from the United States of America following the death of her husband, was denied access to the Ikoyi residence of the late developer by his siblings.

According to reports, Osibona’s wife and siblings were said to have arrived at his residence with mobile policemen to lay claim to his assets, including luxury vehicles, cash, and other valuable items.

But the late developer’s neighbours were said to have shut them out to avoid being caught up in the crisis.

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A reliable source close to the family, who confirmed the clash said though the deceased did not die intestate, his family members fought over his assets, according to PUNCH newspapers.

Read Also: Ikoyi Collapsed Building: MD Fourscore Homes, Femi Osibona’s body recovered, discovered dead

The source was quoted saying, “There is big fighting going on. The wife had been mostly abroad. There is a will but once a man dies, there is a problem. Instead of them (the family) to focus on the collapsed building, they are looking at the property (on Mosley Road). They are waiting to gain access (to the apartment); they are still there.”

Giving an update on the tragedy on Saturday, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, disclosed that 42 bodies had been recovered from the site as of 6 pm.

The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Alaka, also stated that six additional persons rescued from the debris had been traced to another hospital.

He said, “They were taken to the Police Hospital in Falomo for treatment and some of them have been discharged.

“We have taken the full records of survivors in the incident. And this gives a total of 15 people rescued alive.

“Among the latest survivors are a 38-year-old woman, Glory Samson, Ndajor Ahmed, Yunusa Abubakar, Ajiboye Habib, Jeremiah Samson, and one man identified as Emem. While most of them sustained varying degrees of injury, Samson, 20, is said to be in a coma.”

The governor also said 49 families had filled the missing persons’ register as of Saturday morning, adding that DNA examination was being undertaken on some of the bodies difficult to be identified by their families.

He stated, “There is a sum of money that has been reserved by the state government for succour and to give for befitting burial for those who died in the incident. Families that wish to accept it are being supported for the burial arrangement. Also, survivors in hospitals have been given the financial support to help them settle and cope with challenges of feeding in the aftermath of the incident.”

In company with Governor Sanwo-Olu, the All Progressives Congress National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, also visited the scene of the incident on Saturday.

Osibona is the owner of the 21 storey Ikoyi building that caved in last Monday. About 40 people have been found dead in the rubles of the collapsed structure while the search for casualties is ongoing.

PUNCH

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