National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
Chief Chukwudi Igboji of 44, Pastor Elabiyi Street, Ikotun, Lagos state has alleged the obstruction to his business, threat to his life and conduct likely to breach public order by one Mr. Sunday and his wife who are illegally occupying his shop situated at A17 Ibadan line, Irepodun market, and threatening his life in cahoots with others.
The shop was said to have been put up for sale by the owner, one Mary Ajiyan and according to Igboji, it was a friend that informed him about the sale of the shop and after making inquiries and confirming that the shop was available and without any controversy, informed his brother-in-law who was interested in acquiring the shop and eventually paid for the shop on March 9, 2016.
After paying for the shop, the former owner, Mary Ajiyan perfected and handed all the necessary documents to him including a copy of receipt of Attestation, a copy of two different allocations of the shop from former owner and a copy of the allocation duly changed to the name of the buyer.
According to chief Igboji, Mary Ajiyan, on March 20, 2016 invited him and Mr. Sunday with his wife, and made a formal introduction; informing Mr. Sunday (the old tenant) that he (Chief Chukwudi Igboji) is now the new owner of the shop. She also made it clear at the meeting that Mr. Sunday’s rent on the shop would expire in August 2016, after which he would be given not more than two months as the period of grace to quit; and it was agreed by all the parties.
Problem started when, after the expiration of the extended time given to Mr. Sunday in August 2016, he bluntly refused to quit, but approached Chief Igboji to ask for a renewal of the rent, a request Igboji refused by reminding Mr. Sunday of the earlier explanation and agreement mutually reached that the shop was for his brother in–law, Mr. Okechukwu Nwokeji who bought the shop for his personal use.
It was gathered that since the refusal of Chief Igboji to renew the rent, Mr. Sunday refused to quit and also resorted to threatening Igboji by telling him that he has signed his death warrant should he dare to step into the shop.
While it seems efforts to get back his possession from Mr. Sunday through the market leaders and police proved abortive, Chief Igboji wrote a letter to the Network on Reformed Police in Nigeria to come to his aid.
Meanwhile, NOPRIN, a network of 49 civil society organisations has appealed on behalf of Chief Igboji in a letter to the Commissioner of police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, to kindly intervene and investigate Igboji’s complaint against Mr. Sunday with a view to ensuring that Mr. Sunday and his wife vacate the shop if the facts stated herein are found to be true.
