Police goes after tenant who ‘contracted’ cultists to snatch landlady’s house in Lagos

Detectives from the Headquarters of Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, have launched a manhunt for a tenant simply identified as Henry, over an attempt to forcefully take over his landlady’s house in Divine Homes, in the Ajah area of Lagos. The police accused the suspect of allegedly contracting some suspected cultists to help him force […]

Detectives from the Headquarters of Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, have launched a manhunt for a tenant simply identified as Henry, over an attempt to forcefully take over his landlady’s house in Divine Homes, in the Ajah area of Lagos.

The police accused the suspect of allegedly contracting some suspected cultists to help him force his landlady out of her property.

The police said the suspect did not only forged documents of the said property, but also misled the police into believing that he is the owner of the house in a petition he wrote to the office of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2.

It was learnt that trouble started when the suspect also perfected plans to entrench himself as the Chairman of Divine Homes Community Development Association (CDA).

Violent protest broke out in the area when property owners discovered the attempt by the suspect to impose himself as the Chairman of the CDA.

Chairman of Divine Homes Community Development Association (CDA), Adepoju Abiodun, who confirmed the move by the suspect to create confusion in the area revealed that the estate had been self-managed for years, with residents contributing to its development, until a recent attempt by an individual to take over the estate through the back door threw the entire community into chaos.

“No one can bully us into giving up control of the estate. We are law-abiding citizens who demand respect for the law. We urge the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure that their personnel respect the law and do not allow anyone to take over our estate through illegal means” he explained.

Mr. Obioha Okengwu, a resident told our correspondent that the criteria to contest as Chairman of the estate was first, to be a landlord and not a tenant in the estate.

He said, “We have a resident who wants to take the back door to become the chairman of the estate, without being a landlord, as stipulated in the estate’s constitution. He would use policemen from Zone 2 to harass the executive committee of this estate. He also brought Mobile policemen on many occasions.

“At times, he would claim he was kidnapped and then pick up any executive committee member and people he met in the street, harassing them and taking them to Zone 2. He also claimed that he was extorted and assaulted. On many occasions, he had gone to various police formations to make fictitious claims against residents of the estate.”

Mrs. Adanne Okunola, claimed to be the landlady of the suspect alleged her property, a house located at Number 3, Akinwale Shittu, Divine Homes, was rented to the suspect for a one-year period.

“However, he is now challenging my ownership of the property and has taken me to court after swearing an affidavit of ownership of my land” she added.

When contacted the Public Relations Officer, Zone 2 Police Command, Ayuba Summa, said policemen had been stationed at the entrance into the estate to avert any breakdown of law and order.

She said the case is currently being investigated and anyone found wanting would be charged to court for conduct likely to cause a breach of peace in the area.