Forceful ejection: Tenants petition IG over ultimatum to vacate apartment

Tenants of an apartment at No. 5, Association Avenue Ilupeju, Lagos have petitioned the Inspector General of Police alleging forceful and unlawful ejection from their residence.

The petition sighted by this correspondent, signed by Mr. Ogedi Ogu, counsel to one of the tenants narrated: “The brigandage happened in Ilupeju on the 28th day of May, 2025 when someone, who purportedly had bought the said property at the No. 5, Association Avenue Ilupeju, broke down the gates, brought truck loads of sand to block the two entrance gates making it difficult for the occupants to get in or out of the premises, also locking in vehicles of the occupants, not allowing them to drive in or out.

The purported buyer of the property who has been made incommunicado to the tenants by their lawyers, also approached the Police to aid them in their sinister moves to carry out these very illegal & worrisome acts.

“The Police even invited two of the occupants and were granted bail after collecting money as if they are criminals, saying that there was a petition from the Oyo State Ministry of Justice and the purported buyer of the property to achieve vacant possession.

According to Barrister Ogu, “My client, who does business in the premises, was visibly agonised and traumatized when narrating his ordeal with the police and only also to come back from the police and saw that his premises’ gates have been broken and trips of sands tipped to block the two entrance to the premises.

“He recalled that on the 13th day of May, 2025, some people from Ministry of Justice, Ibadan and a woman, who was said to be a lawyer to the buyer of the property brought a seven days quit notice, saying that failure to quit after the seven days will be met with appropriate legal action.

“One wonders if the aforementioned actions are the legal action referred to in the quit notice. Not even minding the present economic hardship facing every one in the country.

“Presently, the two entrances remain blocked and the lives of the tenants are in danger. The tenants therefore appeal to the appropriate authorities, especially as the terms of the tenancy was a yearly agreement and also against the avowed pronouncement of the Lagos State Government to stop such acts as being committed by landlords that harm tenants and apartment occupants,” the petition concluded.