When grocery shop owner Temitope Olaogun met Niyi Ajao six years ago, the gentlemanly perception he had of him made their friendship grow even to the point of their families becoming friends years down the line.

“He knows my family and I know his family. I know his mother and his siblings,” Olaogun said of Ajao, a Lagos resident, with a disappointing voice.

Olaogun told FIJ that he met Ajao on Oluwa Street in Iju Ishaga after which they became neighbourhood friends. The friendship continued even when they no longer lived close to one another.

In 2023, officials of the Lagos State Government, accompanied by a special task force, arrived unexpectedly at Folorunsho Street in Oworonshoki to carry out a demolition without prior notice. Olaogun’s house was one of those that were demolished. This shocking tragedy rendered him homeless for some months.

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“During this period, I needed a safe place to store my belongings, which included clothes, shoes, documents and electronic gadgets. Niyi offered to keep my luggage at his place until I was able to settle down,” Olaogun told FIJ on Tuesday.

“I was grateful for his support and made sure to confirm multiple times if he was comfortable with the arrangement. He assured me it was no trouble at all. So I left my belongings in his care, trusting that they would be safe until I returned for them.”

In July 2023, Olaogun secured a new apartment but, unknown to him, the unthinkable had happened.

Olaogun said he reached out to retrieve his properties but Ajao’s response raised suspicion.

“At first, he kept giving excuses claiming he was busy, out of town or unavailable. Soon, he began ignoring my calls and messages altogether,” Olaogun said.

“Sensing something was wrong, I decided to visit him unannounced. That was when he finally admitted that he had sold my luggage. His excuse was that he had been in financial distress and needed money. Without informing me or seeking my consent, he took it upon himself to dispose of my belongings.

“I was shocked and furious, but I tried to remain calm. I demanded to know who he sold my items to and whether there was any chance of recovering them. However, he refused to give me clear answers, only offering vague apologies and promising to ‘make it up to me’ when he had money. Weeks passed, yet he made no effort to compensate me.”

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Olaogun said Ajao sold his royal shelve and 200 watts Hisense sound bar, worth N600,000 combined.

Being long-time friends, Olaogun said he reported the issue to Ajao’s mother. The woman promised to pay him for his loss, assuring Olaogun that the issue would soon be resolved. But this would also take many months.

“After several months, Niyi’s mother requested my number again. I assumed she was finally ready to pay for my lost items. Unfortunately, when she eventually sent money, it was only ₦20,000, which was nowhere near the actual value of my belongings. Since then, she has also started ignoring my calls, just like her son,” Olaogun told FIJ.

FIJ called Ajao twice on Tuesday but he did not answer the phone calls. It was the same case with Ajao’s mother. Both have also refused to respond to separate texts FIJ sent to them.