By Fathiu Jimoh
When Mujibu Olasunkanmi, a 200-level Political Science student, left the campus last October, losing his properties was the last thing that came to his mind. Having a private hostel was enough security for the wares he was leaving behind.
However, when Mujibu returned to resume back this year’s January, he was surprised to meet a new tenant in his room. And his properties? No where to be found.
When Mujibu confronted Mubarak, the popular caretaker for Benji hostel where Mujibu lived, he denied having any knowledge of the missing properties.
“He said he doesn’t know where my properties are again. He gave me some unnecessary excuses which are not genuine to me at all,” Mujibu told Digest.
He later had to resign to fate after being told that is the custom of that caretaker.
Similarly, Mustapha Abdulrahman, a 400-level Business Administration student, shared a similar story with Mujibu. During holiday, the caretaker packed out his belongings, including his bed, chairs, tables, laptop, and printer, without his consent.
“These things have never happened to me before,” Mustapha began.
“The caretaker took my room for another person because he wanted to increase rent which he collected from the new tenant. Even though I have paid him half of the rent before, he returned it back to me,” Mustapha said with a distant smile.
“I left Benji Hostel because the caretaker wasn’t humane,” Said Yahaya Yahaya, a 400 level civil engineering student.
The school was on holiday when the caretaker, Mubarak, called Yahaya, informing him about his due rent, Yahaya, who was at the moment not financially buoyant enough, pleaded for a week’s grace.
“He didn’t pick up all the calls I put through after a week. Only for me to resume and meet another person in my room. My goods were packed out,” he ended.
What Does The Law Say?
As contained in the Tenancy Act, in a situation whereby the rent of a tenant has lapsed, the landlord has the right to recover possession of their property. However, this is subject to after issuing a valid quit notice and after the expiry of the notice period. This means that after such expiration:
(1)The landlord can demand that the tenant vacates the property peacefully and voluntarily, and hands over the keys and any other items belonging to the landlord.
(2)The landlord can apply to a court for an order of possession, which authorizes them to evict the tenant forcefully with the help of law enforcement agents.
(3)The landlord can claim damages from the tenant for any loss or injury caused by their unlawful occupation of the property, such as unpaid rent, repair costs, legal fees, or loss of value.
Meanwhile, the normal duration for a quit notice varies from the tenancy agreement. For a weekly tenant, a week notice, a month for a monthly tenant, three months for quarterly and six months for yearly tenants.
Inside Beji Where There is Zero Obedience for Tenancy Laws
Yusuf Babatunde, a 300-level student, narrated his experience with the caretaker. When he asked about his belongings, the caretaker claimed that he didn’t know where they were.
“I served him a fake letter that the dean of students Affairs and Deen private hostel wanted to see him, to explain where my properties are to them. He later calmly begged me and told me that we can settle it amicably, he promised to pay back for what I lost.”
Tijani Muhammad, a 400-level student, said that “I was lucky to have his properties intact, but I feared that all my properties might be lost. In fact, the small pin, I saw it back,”
Like other people, Tijani’s room was taken from him and given to another desperate tenant at an inflated price. Several sources that spoke with Digest, gave the same account about Mubarak, the popular Benji caretaker.
Like other students from Benji, I’m a victim. When I resumed February this year, I met another person in my room and realized my goods had been parked in other rooms. In the end, I discovered that so many valuables have been stolen: my gas, Coalport and other valuables, carted away in broad daylight.
When Digest reached out to Mubarak through a phone call, he denied being the caretaker, also denied this reporter from meeting him physically.
“I can’t meet with you, I’m busy,” he ended the call.
The Dean of Private Hostels promised to Investigate
The Dean, private hostel, professor Yahaya Tsagam during an interview with Digest press, professor Tsagam said, “I don’t know anything about this and am not aware of it, but since I have been informed, I will investigate and address it,” he promised.