Landlord Uses Thugs To Evict Tenant During COVID-19 Lockdown In Delta – Rights Group Petitions IGP

Centre for the Vulnerable and the Underprivieged (CENTREP), has petitioned the Inspector General of Police through the Burutu Police Area Command in Delta state over unlawful eviction of one Sunday Abugewa whose properties were threw outside his two bedroom apartment by one Abel Obayendo, his landlord during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

BIGPEN understands Abugewa and members of his immediate family were evicted on the 2^nd day of May, 2020 from their apartment at No. 3, Adebishop Street, Ovwian without any valid court order.

Abugewa’s landlord, Mr Obayendo for reason yet to be fathom was said to have used armed thugs to sack the tenant.

CENTREP, in a petition signed by Kelechi Uko (esq) on behalf of Oghenejabor Ikimi’s Chamber, said that the act of forceful eviction was wrongful, illegal and an unconstitutional more so when the said tenant did not owe his rent in arrears.

The petition on behest of the said Abugewa, called on the Inspector General of Police through the Area Commander, Burutu Area Command to apprehend and compel the erring Landlord to undo what he has done by reopening the said apartment since the said rent was not in arrears.

Condemning the act, the group called on the police to act on the matter as instituted at the Burutu Area Command and ensure the said properties are returned back to “the said apartment with the Police taking inventories of all damaged, lost and stolen properties of the victim and furthermore to arraign the erring Landlord before the Chief Magistrate Court, Otor-Udu if found culpable”.

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Abugewa, in a affidavit deposed to said that his landlord had on the 31^st day of March, 2020 for reason yet to be established gave him a verbal notice to quit but he had requested him to give him a statutory notice instead of verbal notice, but same was to no avail.

The said landlord has since gone into hiding after the act, the petitioner said.

He said: “That I know that all through the month of April, 2020 was a lockdown period in Delta State owing to the corona virus pandemic nationwide.

“That I know that I was never in arrears of rent before I was given a verbal notice to quit by the Defendant/Respondent as my rent is still running till date.

“That I know that without any valid court order, the Defendant/Respondent stormed my aforesaid two (2) bedroom flat apartment on the 2^nd day of May, 2020 with armed thugs and in the process forcefully evicted me and my immediate family members from the above apartment with our properties carelessly dumped outside the gate of the Defendant/Respondent’s premises in the rains.

“That I know that in the process of the above many of my household properties/documents including receipts were either damaged, lost and/or stolen.

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“That I know that if this Honourable Court do not restrain the Defendant/ Respondent, he would rent out my aforesaid two (2) bedroom flat apartment while my rent is still running.

“That presently I do not know the where about of my wife and children as we are presently separated and are squatting with friends and relations in different locations.

“That I know that my aforesaid household properties have all been outside under the rains and sunshine since the 2^nd day of May, 2020 till date, hence this application”.