Over A Hundred Tenants Battle For 13 Flats

Over a hundred tenants who were expecting to be given keys to their new apartments on Monday stormed Ketu area of Lagos, Nigeria, after they realized they had been duped by the property’s developer.

The prospective tenants had paid hundreds of thousands of Naira for 13 mini-apartments and were asked to come for their keys on Monday at the newly built house located at 59, Oriola Street, Alapere-Ketu.

However, on Sunday night, rumor began to circulate that some tenants had been given keys and were already occupying all the apartments. Those who arrived today had to confront those already occupying the apartments, claiming they had also paid for the apartments. As dozens of people stormed the house in protests, the developer, the landlord and the agents had all disappeared. Their phones were all switched off.

“I paid N400,000 for a mini-flat and I was asked to come and get my key today,” said 69-year old Mrs. Mariam Eboigbe. “But the landlord is nowhere to be seen.”

The house belongs to Alhaji Ishola Salawudeen who issued some receipts to the prospective tenants and gave his address as 59, Oriola Street, Alapere-Ketu.

“I paid to the landlord himself. I came to meet him here and I paid him N230,000 for a room self-contained ,” said Iyamah Anthony Oshoke.

Bashorun Ganiat who paid N475,000 for a two-bedroom flat was also stranded. Calls to the landlord did not go through.

Folami Emmanuel paid N380,000 as rent for 18 months, while Mutiu Ogunlana paid N230,000.

Other duped victims such as Ismail Olatunbosun, Stephen Okeleke and Abel Oke paid N325,000, N550,000 and N325,000 respectively but could not get the apartment.

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