What began as a journalist’s attempt to secure a modest home in Adamo, Ikorodu, Lagos State, has allegedly degenerated into a tenancy dispute involving N570,000 in rent-related payments, an inaccessible apartment, unfulfilled refund promises, and a police complaint against an estate agent accused of failing to honour the terms under which the money was collected.
The journalist, Mr Iwuchukwu Francis, petitioned the Nigeria Police Force in Imota and Araro, alleging that an estate agent, Bolaji Ojo, operating under the name Ojo’s Properties (Land and Property Consultancy), took the money but failed to deliver the tenancy arrangement as agreed.
Francis made statements before the police on June 8, 2026, seeking intervention in the dispute involving the apartment in the Adamo area of Ikorodu.
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According to him, discussions about the apartment began on 1 April 2026, when he contacted Ojo by phone. They then met in person on 3 April 2026, after which he made the payment.
He said he transferred N570,000 at about 1:01 p.m. on April 3, 2026, from his First Bank account into an Access Bank account provided by Ojo.
The account, numbered 1690939511 and bearing the name Temitope Adebayo, was later found to belong to the agent’s wife, according to the complaint.
Francis said the payment included N400,000 rent, N50,000 agreement fee, N50,000 commission, N50,000 damages deposit, N15,000 security/CDA fee, and N5,000 cleaner’s fee.
He alleged that before paying, Ojo told him the apartment’s electrical wiring was incomplete but assured him it would be finished before the end of April.
The agent was also said to have claimed that each apartment in the building had a prepaid electricity meter, although the meter for Francis’s apartment was reportedly still being awaited.
Relying on those assurances, the journalist said he reached an oral agreement with Ojo to take possession of the apartment and start preparations for his move.
He further paid N5,000 as a consultancy fee into Ojo’s Opay account, number 7080097012, on 23 April 2026, before completing and submitting a tenancy agreement form supplied by the agent.
Francis said Ojo handed him the keys to the apartment and the main gate on 27 April 2026, during a visit to the property.
He was told that the tenancy agreement would be sent to the property owner for approval and that a rent receipt would follow.
He moved his belongings into the apartment on 6 May 2026 after notifying Ojo, and began making improvements the next day.
Among the expenses were the purchase and installation of a solar power system on 7 May, meant to provide electricity until the prepaid meter was installed.
He also claimed to have spent N150,000 on painting and carpentry work, including a wall hanger, net door, repairs to the kitchen cabinet, and building a cabinet for DSTV, GOTV, and Strong decoders.
However, the situation took a drastic turn on 24 May when Francis returned and allegedly found that the gate to his apartment had been secured with a large padlock.
This development led him to stop further work by the carpenter and hold back items already paid for but not yet delivered.
Francis immediately contacted Ojo, who initially claimed he was unaware of the padlock, before allegedly linking the issue to a disagreement over electricity.
The journalist is now demanding a refund of all amounts paid for the apartment, arguing that the circumstances make continued occupation impossible.
In an undertaking reportedly signed by Ojo at the Imota Police Station on 8 June 2026, the estate agent promised to refund the disputed funds to Francis.
However, this undertaking had not been honoured at the time of the report.
An earlier promise by Ojo at the Araro Police Station to start the refund process on 8 June also reportedly failed.
The complaint states that Ojo’s whereabouts are now unknown and that he has stopped responding to police calls.
The matter remains under police investigation, with the journalist seeking to recover the money he paid in good faith for the apartment.
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