Court jails landlord, associates six months for contempt, illegal eviction

A Lagos Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Eti-Osa has sentenced a landlord, Lawrence Onwukwem, and three associates to six months imprisonment each for contempt of court and unlawful eviction of tenants.

The court also fined the convicts N250,000 each after finding them guilty of defying court orders in a tenancy dispute involving a couple, Olusola Alabi and his wife, Olufunmilola Alabi.

Those convicted alongside Onwukwem are Davies Ijele, Sodiq Kazeem and Peace Chidinma Igbo.

In the suit marked MISC/MCE/07/2023, the court invoked Section 44(1)(a) of the Tenancy Law of Lagos State 2011 for the forceful eviction of the tenants from a three-bedroom apartment with a boys’ quarters located at No. 96B, Ladipo Omotosho Cole Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

Delivering judgment on June 5, 2025, Chief Magistrate Kikelomo Olaiya Doja-Ojo held that the defendants unlawfully broke into the apartment while a tenancy dispute was still pending before the court.

The court found that the defendants forced open the door to the apartment, removed the tenants’ belongings—including furniture, electronics, bedding, refrigerator, air conditioners and a gas cooker—and changed the locks without any lawful court order.

The magistrate ordered that the tenants be immediately restored to possession of the apartment and that all items removed from the premises be returned.

“The claimant is to be restored back to possession. All her belongings removed are to be returned immediately,” the certified true copy of the judgment stated.

The dispute began after the tenants alleged a breach of the tenancy agreement by the landlord, prompting Mrs. Alabi to seek legal redress in court.

However, while the case was still pending, the landlord and his associates allegedly broke into the apartment, removed property valued at about N25 million and later rented the flat to another tenant.

Following the court ruling, the couple claimed that only Kazeem is currently serving his jail term at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, while the other three convicts are reportedly at large.

Attempts to reach Onwukwem and Ijele for comment were unsuccessful as their telephone lines were unreachable.

Meanwhile, Igbo denied claims that she was arrested or acted as a surety for Kazeem, insisting that she had no direct involvement in the matter.

She said she was working as a secretary and human resources officer for the firm at the time and was also attending law school in 2021.

“They have spoilt my name and career. I don’t know how to reach them. They have issues with a particular person and why involving me instead of meeting those concerned directly. I know nothing about it,” she said.

Igbo, however, acknowledged that steps were being taken to address the situation, including efforts to obtain a remand order.