Several residents and apartment seekers in Lagos State have accused a landlord identified as Mr. Femi Olarenwaju of allegedly collecting rent from more than 15 people for the same apartments, leaving victims stranded, financially drained, and emotionally distressed.
The affected tenants, who shared their experiences, said repeated attempts to get justice through the police, mediation centres, and government agencies have yielded no meaningful results, months after the incident began unfolding.
Victims narrate payment, confusion over same apartment
One of the victims, Faith Praise Akpan, said she paid N750,000 in June 2025 for an apartment that was later discovered to have been rented out to multiple people.
According to her, she was asked to move in by July 2025 but met a disturbing reality upon arrival.
“We were up to like 15 victims that paid for that same apartment,” she said.
Akpan explained that the building was still under renovation at the time of payment, with incomplete fittings such as missing ceilings, windows, and security installations when she eventually accessed the property.
She also alleged that she was never issued an official tenancy receipt beyond her bank payment record.
“The only receipt I have is the bank receipt,” she said.
Allegations of intimidation and security concerns
Akpan further alleged that after she began demanding accountability, she was threatened by the landlord and later witnessed violent attempts to forcefully eject another tenant in the compound.
She also accused the police of failing to act despite multiple complaints filed by the victims.
Other tenants report similar experience
Another victim, Michi Kingsley, said he also paid for an apartment under similar circumstances during the renovation phase but later recovered his money after delays and excuses.
However, he confirmed that several others were still awaiting refunds.
Uduak Ogbuehi, who said she paid N1.5 million for a two-bedroom apartment, also described how she later discovered that multiple tenants had paid for the same unit.
“We were at least 15,” she said, adding that she funded the payment through a workplace loan she is still repaying.
She further alleged that attempts at mediation through Lagos State authorities did not produce results, as neither the landlord nor his representatives attended scheduled reconciliation meetings.
Another victim, Bright Eze, said he lost N850,000 after paying for a room-and-parlour apartment, only to later discover that another tenant was already occupying the same space.
He said family intervention efforts also failed to secure refunds.
Call for government intervention
The victims have called on the Lagos State Government and law enforcement agencies to investigate the allegations and ensure recovery of their funds.
“I just want him to be brought to book,” one of the victims said.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to reach Mr. Olarenwaju for comment were unsuccessful, as Lagos landlord apartment fraudcalls and messages reportedly did not go through.
Slug: lagos-landlord-apartment-fraud-tenants
