A tenant in Banana Island, Lagos, has shared a troubling account of her experience with her landlord, alleging harassment, intimidation, and an unlawful attempt to force her out of her home.
The woman revealed that she sustained injuries after slipping and falling in her apartment during a prolonged power outage. According to her, the landlord had disconnected electricity to her flat for more than 72 hours amid an ongoing dispute over rent. She explained that the incident occurred at around 10 p.m., leaving her with injuries to her shoulder and lower back that required hospital treatment.
Speaking on the situation, she noted that the conflict began after her landlord hiked her rent by over 300 percent. While she found the increase excessive, she requested a staggered payment plan, which the landlord approved. She complied with the terms and continued making payments as agreed. 
Despite this arrangement, she claimed the landlord later sought to evict her anyway to bring in new tenants at the higher rate. According to her, the landlord had already evicted four of the six families living in the building after introducing substantial rent increases.
The tenant explained that she had pleaded with the landlord to let her remain in the property due to pressing family challenges, noting that her mother’s poor health and her son’s schooling made it difficult to relocate immediately. She had initially met the landlord through a mutual contact and even visited his office to appeal for understanding, ultimately accepting the new rent because she felt she had no other practical choice.
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Furthermore, the woman noted that the landlord bypassed the legal eviction process, resorting instead to threats, intimidation, and disconnecting her electricity to force her out.
The tenant noted that the landlord is an Ex-Bank MD who has over 300 homes. She said “I’m not going to mention the name of the company, once I speak to my lawyers if I have the right to do that”.
She expressed frustration over what she described as a growing, predatory trend among Lagos landlords, where tenants face immense pressure to vacate once a landlord realizes they can secure higher-paying occupants. The tenant pointed out that the landlord owns hundreds of properties, questioning why such aggressive measures were taken against residents in a relatively small building. She maintained that she never refused to pay rent and had fulfilled all her obligations under the agreed payment plan.
According to her, the deliberate power outage compromised her safety and directly caused the fall that led to her injuries. She added that she visited the landlord’s office twice after the electricity was cut but was denied an audience.
The woman also claimed that lawyers representing the landlord informed her that eviction proceedings would continue, arrogantly advising her to “take whatever action she deemed necessary.” She insisted, however, that cutting her electricity was completely unjustifiable, especially after she had already suffered physical injuries.
Reflecting on her tenancy, she noted that she had lived there peacefully for five years without a single dispute or complaint from neighbors or management. She maintained that the current hostility stems solely from the landlord’s drive to maximize rental income.
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The tenant has now vowed to campaign against the unfair treatment of tenants in Nigeria. She announced plans to launch a petition and set up a website to draw public attention to the issue, while encouraging other tenants facing similar exploitation to speak out.
According to her, the matter extends far beyond her personal ordeal, highlighting a systemic housing crisis affecting residents across Lagos. She emphasized that government intervention is urgently needed to ensure landlords and tenants operate within clear legal boundaries and that disputes are resolved strictly through proper judicial channels.
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