The ultimate man on the Lagos construction scene, Adebiyi Olalekan, is currently fishing in troubled waters, if rumours making the rounds are to be believed. The man dubbed The Silent Billionaire is allegedly under scrutiny by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over some of the record-breaking deals that have netted him huge windfalls in the past few years.
Sources close to the matter told LagosTimes that the helmsman of Laralek Ultimate Limited which carries out most of the recent road projects in Lagos has been placed on the EFCC watch list. The agency’s agents are said to be watching his every move like vigilant hawks, ready to swoop in on him at the first sign of serious financial misdemeanour.
According to certain persons who claim to be in the know, Lekan, who is on intimate terms with outgoing Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is likely to lose his passport to the EFCC. The decision is to prevent him from leaving the country.
Recall that since Ambode arrived on the executive seat of Lagos, Lekan has emerged from nowhere to become the face of construction in the metropolis. His company is alpha and omega in the state when it comes to securing and executing juicy contracts. In the last few years, Laralek has become the official construction partner of the state government.
Although Lekan has spread his tentacles to other states, especially in the south west, the centre of excellence remains the place where most of his bread is buttered. The 10-lane Oshodi-Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road is just the biggest of the series of mouthwatering road contracts running into billions of naira that he has executed.
Feelers are that the EFCC has begun to sniff around those deals like a suspicious dog, hence the rumoured tightening of the noose around Lekan. The silent billionaire is now a picture of calmness as he waits to see what happens because he is convinced of his innocence.
