A Lagos resident has accused her landlord of harassment, intimidation and unlawful eviction tactics after a disputed rent increase, alleging that the disconnection of electricity to her apartment left her injured and forced her to seek medical treatment.

The tenant claimed she sustained injuries after slipping and falling in darkness caused by a 72-hour power outage allegedly imposed by her landlord amid an ongoing dispute over rent payments and eviction.

“I was rushed to the hospital yesterday with my son because I slipped and fell and I’ve injured my shoulder and my lower back.”

In a video statement, she alleged that the dispute began after her landlord increased her rent by more than 390 per cent and later sought to evict her despite agreeing to a staggered payment arrangement, which she said she complied with.

“For my rent to be increased by over 300%, I’m going to add the exact figures, 390 something percent. And for that reason, as a tenant, I asked for a staggered payment, which they offered, which they gave, and I actually complied.”

She further alleged that the landlord had already forced several other tenants out of the property in pursuit of higher rental income.

“He has already evicted four homes in this building. This is a building of only six tenants. He has evicted four families last year because he wanted to increase the rent.”

According to her, she accepted the new rental terms under difficult personal circumstances, including caring for her mother and son, and said she had communicated her situation to the facility management.

“I pleaded. I found somebody who knew him and went to his office to meet him to plead because I had my mother in a health situation at the time. I was under duress.”

The tenant argued that even if the landlord intended to remove her from the property, the process should have followed legal procedures rather than alleged acts of intimidation.

“Fine, even if you want to evict me, why do you not do it through the court? Why do you not do it through the legal route and through the legal system?”

She alleged that electricity to her apartment was disconnected while neighbouring residents continued to enjoy power supply, describing the action as an attempt to force her out of the premises.

“He has cut off my light supply for the last 72 hours.”

The resident said she had lived in the estate for five years without any disputes or complaints and maintained that she had always been a peaceful tenant.

“In the five years I have lived here, I have never been rude. I’ve never been mean to anyone. I have lived here as a peaceful tenant.”

She also alleged that landlords across Lagos were increasingly issuing eviction notices to tenants in order to secure higher-paying occupants amid soaring rental costs.

“And now they’re forcefully pushing an eviction only for one simple reason, to get me out and bring in somebody else in here that’s gonna pay more than me.”

Calling for government intervention, she said the situation reflected a broader housing challenge affecting many tenants and urged others with similar experiences to speak out.

“This harassment by Nigerian landlords has to end and somebody has to put a voice to it.” (Arise News)

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