Lagos court arraigns tenant over alleged illegal apartment alteration
34-Year-Old Tenant Arraigned for Unauthorized Alterations in Lagos Apartment
LAGOS — Henry Chijioke Chukwuma, a 34-year-old tenant, faced arraignment in a Lagos Magistrates’ Court on allegations of making unauthorized structural modifications to his apartment in the Ajah area.
Chukwuma was apprehended by the Zone 2 Police Command after his landlord, Moses Okeoma, filed a complaint regarding the alterations made to the property at Vintage Estate, Ajah.
Police reports indicate that Chukwuma made significant changes to the apartment. These included partitioning sections of the unit, relocating the bathroom entrance, and damaging part of the wall, all without the landlord’s consent.
Authorities allege that these modifications breached existing building regulations and were executed without the necessary approval. Following the landlord’s complaint, Assistant Inspector-General of Police for Zone 2, AIG Olohundare Jimoh, instructed officers to investigate the situation to prevent any escalation of the dispute.
After a thorough inquiry by Inspector Odijile Eghonghon and his team, Chukwuma was charged in the Igbosere Magistrates’ Court with one count of willful damage to the bathroom wall and door.
During court proceedings, Prosecutor Superintendent of Police Reuben Solomon emphasized that tenants are required to obtain landlord consent for any structural alterations. He noted that Chukwuma had accepted the apartment without issue upon moving in, which necessitated prior approval for any subsequent changes.
The prosecutor indicated that Chukwuma’s actions contravene Section 337 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, which addresses building regulations.
In response to the charge, Chukwuma pleaded not guilty. Magistrate T.O. Abayomi granted him bail set at N100,000, with two sureties of the same amount.
The case is scheduled for mention on August 14, 2026.
