Aishat Maja, a Lagos-based engineer, has shared how Ojomu Bakare, her landlord, assaulted her while she was moving out of his house.

Maja told FIJ she was about to move her belongings out of the house on May 13, 2023, when her landlord and his daughter attacked her.

In a video obtained by FIJ, the landlord, his wife and daughter can be seen holding on to Maja’s blouse as an elderly tenant tries to separate them.

READ ALSO: Lagos Landlord Arrests Tenant’s Sister, Friend for Staying Too Long

The assault comes months after the landlord, popularly known as Baba Azeez, ordered the arrest of Maja’s younger sister and her friend for staying too long in his house.

FIJ reported the incident in October 2022, stating how the landlord threatened to throw them out because he did not want Maja to accommodate other people in the same room.

“Although my sister and friend were eventually released, the officers at the Pedro police station in Shomolu who were involved in the case advised me to tell my friends to stay away from the house, and they did so,” she said.

However, the Lagos engineer said that due to the persisting threats and insults from her landlord, she had to leave the house temporarily on December 5, 2022.

“I was still going there once in a while to pick a few items whenever I needed them,” added Maja.

“So on May 13, I went to the Pedro station to make known my plan to move my things out of the house and that I would need my sister and friends to support me. I had been ill for a week prior to that day. The human rights officer gave me the go-ahead since we just wanted to move our load out.

“On getting to the house, the landlord’s daughter hinted her father that we were around and were moving out my load.

“Immediately the landlord saw my said friend after his daughter had gone inside to inform him, he came out with aggression and hit my friend’s chest with a blow and pushed her away.

“When I saw that, I had to run quickly to my friend’s aid, and the landlord’s daughter slapped me across the face because I tried to stop her father from hitting my friend. I slapped her back,” explained Maja.

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She told FIJ that after she returned the daughter’s slap, the landlord rushed towards her, hitting her face and stomach with blows.

She also noted that her phone was with her during the altercation, and it got damaged in the process.

“I reported that same day and the police said he would be charged to court. The Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) later said all of us, including the landlord, would be charged to court. She told the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) on the case to specify our charges.

“The landlord claimed that my friend had been told not to enter the compound by the police officer, and I made him realise that we took permission from the police before going to his house.

“All I just want is for him to replace my damaged phone. Without that phone, I can’t go to work because that’s my office.

“In the end, I had to beg some kids in the area to help me move out my things.”

Maja further said when she returned to the police station on Tuesday in the company of her mother, they were advised to let go as it might take forever to get justice.

“After all the discussions at the station, my mother insisted that we should leave them in God’s hand. The DCO only advised us because we might know the beginning of the case but it would take out time and money. But I’m very pained because at this time, there isn’t much money to get a new phone.”

The Lagos engineer said the landlord was neither remorseful nor believed his actions were wrong when he came to the police station yesterday.

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On Tuesday, FIJ called the landlord’s number, but it was a woman who answered the call.

After the woman refused to comment on the attack or disclose her relationship with the landlord, she ended the call. And when FIJ called again, she did not answer the call.

Meanwhile, when FIJ looked up the number on Truecaller, a caller ID and spam blocking software, the mobile app showed the contact name as ‘Land Lord’.

FIJ could not reach CSP Rotimi Odutona, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Shomolu division, for comments on Wednesday. He neither answered his calls nor responded to the message sent to him.

Also, the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) could not be reached for comments, as the message sent to him had not been responded to at press time.