A tenant, Mr Victor Abubakar, has dragged the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kaduna State Command, Alhaji Modu Bunu, to a rent tribunal in Kaduna over threats and harassment.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Mr G. O. Ochai, told the tribunal that his client was a tenant in the premises, situated at No. 38 A, Borno Road, Marafa Estate Kaduna, before the house was sold to the defendant.
“My client was a tenant in the house when the landlord sold the premises to the defendant without the knowledge of the plaintiff, whose tenancy was to expire in February 2016.
“After purchasing the property, the defendant gave my client two months’ quit notice which expired on April 28.
“At the expiration of the quit notice, the defendant stationed armed officers of the NSCDC at the premises, who threatened and harassed the plaintiff, and even killed his dog.
“Since the expiration of the two months notice, the defendant has denied him (plaintiff) access to the premises.
“We believe that, this is not how to legally evict a tenant in a house.
“It is equally disheartening for a man of his calibre to use NSCDC personnel paid with tax payers’ money, to intimidate innocent citizens that he is supposed to protect,” the counsel posited.
Ochai therefore applied for an order of injunction restraining the defendant from forcefully ejecting the plaintiff from the premises.
He equally urged the tribunal to restrain the defendant from further harassment of the plaintiff.
“We also want the defendant to allow the plaintiff access to the house until the determination of the case.”
Counsel to the defendant, Mr M.S. Abubakar, however, denied that the plaintiff was denied access to the house.
He equally stated that the officers stationed in the house were not meant to harass the plaintiff, but to guard the defendant’s property and those of other occupants in the house.
“From our knowledge, the plaintiff was not paying rent for the house and was therefore entitled to only seven days notice, but out of magnanimity of the defendant, he offered him two months.
“I therefore urge the court not to grant the request, but to sort out the issue by evicting the plaintiff.”
The tribunal, presided by Mrs Nana Muhammad, adjourned the case to May 13, so as to visit the property to ascertain the state of things.
“Since it was the plaintiff’s word against the defendant, I need to visit the property to ascertain for myself the current situation of things,” she said.
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