News Investigators/ Fresh facts emerging from the controversial demolition of DATKEM plaza in Ijebu Ode Ogun state indicate that the company was operating illegally after all.
Findings revealed that DATKEM Enterprises Limited, the promoter of DATKEM Plaza, Ijebu-Ode is an illegal company as it was not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)
The company was said to have constructed the unauthorized 5-storey plaza, which was partially demolished last Sunday.
DATKEM belongs to the wife of the former Governor of Ogun State, Olufunke Daniel.
Ogun state government disclosed that the Plaza was without an approved plan and that the structure also contravened the state’s physical planning laws and the building codes with numerous defects.
Meanwhile, the owners of the controversial building maintained that company received approval for construction, a claim that has not been proved.
Latest findings however indicated that the company was operating illegally and therefore, not recognised as a corporate entity.
A search on the website of CAC failed to produce DATKEM Enterprises Limited. But there was DATKEM Fashion Centre Ondo, registered in 2022.
“When we searched the name of the company in the CAC pool of registered companies, we came up with nothing.
“It is curious that a company is purportedly registered as an enterprise and at the same time, a limited liability company. It’s obvious that the owners of DATKEM Plaza wanted to use a fake company to obtain approval from the government, an action which ordinarily is unlawful.
“The implication here is that, having not registered with the CA, if the company has any problem, nobody can trace it,” a source said.
The source expressed surprise that a former governor, who is also a serving senator could be involved in anything illegal.
The source also alleged that the 2009 building plan approval must have been done with impunity by the then Governor Daniel without recourse to the state’s town planning laws and building codes.
Even at that, the structure on the ground was at variance with the approval.
This informed the series of contravention notices served the owners since May 2022.
