A landlady, Mrs Mercy Ogbonna, has dragged her tenant, Mr Fuad Oloto, before a Lagos State Magistrate Court sitting in Tinubu, Lagos Island, over his alleged refusal to vacate a four-bedroom terrace duplex in Ikate Elegushi, Lekki.

In the suit marked MCL/496/CIV/2025, the claimant is seeking an order for immediate possession of the property, mesne profits, damages and costs of action.

According to court documents, Mrs Ogbonna, suing through her attorney and solicitor, Mr Siji Agbadaola, said she leased the property located at Unit 2, No. 10, Eru-Ifa Street, Ikate Elegushi, to the defendant under a yearly tenancy of N4.5m per annum.

“The defendant is a tenant of the claimant, having been let into the property on May 1, 2021, under a yearly tenancy at a rent of N4.5m per annum,” the claimant stated in her processes.

She stated that the defendant last paid his rent sometime in 2024 and that his tenancy expired on April 30, 2025, yet he has continued to occupy the property.

When the matter came up in court on Monday, the written statement of the claimant’s attorney, Mr Agbadaola, was adopted by his counsel, Ayodeji Fasehun.

He urged the court to adopt them as his evidence.

“I urge the court to adopt my written statement on oath and other accompanying documents as my evidence, and to grant the prayers sought by the claimant,” he said.

“The defendant’s tenancy expired on April 30, 2025, but he has remained in possession of the property without my consent,” Agbadaola said.

Fasehun also tendered five receipts and some other documents as exhibits, which were admitted by the court.

However, the defendant’s counsel, A.D. Lasisi, applied for an adjournment to enable him to adequately prepare for the cross-examination of the claimant’s witness.

Granting the application, Magistrate Mr A.A. Paul adjourned the matter till February 26, 2026, for cross-examination and continuation of the trial.

In the particulars of the claim, Mrs Ogbonna accused the defendant of a consistent pattern of late payment of rent and paying in instalments over long periods.

“The defendant has developed the behaviour of delaying in paying his rent and eventually paying his rent in tranches, spreading the same over long months. The claimant shall rely on copies of the receipts issued to Mr Fuad for the payments of rent to date,” she stated.

She further added that she served the defendant with a six-month statutory Notice to Quit dated October 31, 2024, directing him to vacate the premises on or before April 30, 2025.

When he allegedly failed to comply, her solicitor sent several reminder letters dated February 1, March 3 and April 3, 2025, which were served via WhatsApp and email.

Upon continued refusal to vacate, the claimant said she instructed her lawyer to issue a seven-day Notice of Owner’s Intention to Recover Possession in May 2025.

“Despite the expiration of the notices, the defendant has failed, refused and neglected to deliver up possession of the property and still retains the same till date,” she added.

In a sworn witness statement, Agbadaola told the court that Ogbonna urgently needs the property for her immediate personal and family use.

The claimant consequently asked the court to order “Immediate delivery of vacant possession” of the four-bedroom terrace duplex with boys’ quarters at Unit 2, No. 10, Eru-Ifa Street, Ikate Elegushi, Lekki;

Payment of N375,000 per month as mesne profit from May 1, 2025, until possession is given up.

“Also, N5m, as general damages for the alleged inconvenience and delay; and N1m as cost of the action. (PUNCH)

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