Serious Drama as Military Men Mercilessly Beat Teacher in Public While Trying to Force Him Out of His Apartment (Photo)

 

Two military men attached to the Nigeria Army Ordinance Tailoring Factory, Yaba, have reportedly beat up a teacher, Ojiah Marleth-Adeiza, in a house on Maye Street, in the Yaba area of Lagos State.

 

According to Punch, the soldiers allegedly beat up the 40-year-old and damaged his property in a bid to eject him from his apartment. The Kogi State indigene alleged that aside damaging his property, the soldiers made away with N250,000 he kept in the house. 

 

The men were allegedly acting on the orders of the landlady, identified only as Olawunmi, who is based in Canada. After he couldn't take the beating, he lied to the soldiers that he wanted to get a taxi and pack his property, and used the opportunity to escape. He later rushed to the Sabo Police Division to report the incident.

 

Narrating how it all started, Marleth-Adeiza said he had rented the apartment from a sibling of Olawunmi, identified simply as  Olalekan before things turned out sour.

 

He said, “I rented the apartment in October, 2016. I approached the house agent, Olalekan, who is the brother of the landlady. He asked me to pay N10,000 per month for rent. He said I should pay five months rent, pending when the house would be in good shape. There was no bathroom in the house; there’s only a toilet.

 

 

Speaking further, Marleth-Adeiza said that around 9.30pm on April 2, 2017, two soldiers entered into the house and challenged his rights to the apartment. He alleged that a Congolese tenant, who allegedly plotted the attack with the landlady, locked up the gate to ensure he did not escape.

 

“I then begged their leader to allow me to go and get a taxi. A few minutes after walking down the road together, I saw a cab  and we boarded it together. I instructed the driver to head straight for the Sabo Police Station. The soldier asked the man to drive towards the house. When the driver didn’t listen to him, he jumped out from the cab. I followed him.  I held him and insisted that he should follow me to the station. Unfortunately, he wriggled his way out and fled,” he added.

 

Marleth-Adeiza said he later reported the case after sleeping on the road that night. He said he discovered that aside a new textbook he was writing which was damaged,the sum of N250,000 was also stolen from the apartment.

 

The victim said he went to the soldiers’ base at Yaba and saw one of the men, whom he identified as Corporal Shaba.

 

He explained that the Regimental Sergeant Major pleaded with him to drop the case so that the men would not be dismissed.

“All I want is justice.  They have violated my rights and should be punished,” he added.

 

When Olalekan was contacted on his telephone line, a woman, who claimed to be his sister and asked not to be identified, denied Marleth-Adeiza’s claims, describing him as an ingrate.

 

She said, “Where he stays is actually an office, not an apartment. He approached my brother that he needed help and he didn’t have money for an apartment. My brother, out of pity, gave him the office space for N10,000 per month and he paid five months rent.

 

She added that policemen from the Sabo division arrested the Congolese women for their role in the fracas.

 

She told PUNCH Metro that her brother and some friends intervened in the matter and Olalekan offered a refund of the N50,000 rent to Marleth-Adeiza, but he declined the offer.

 

She said the claim that the soldiers stole money in the house was an afterthought.

 

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, confirmed the incident, adding that investigations were ongoing.

 

He said the police were working with the military to ensure justice was served.