Tenants of No. 59 Awolowo Street Umuahia have sent “Save Our Soul” messages to government and the public as an acclaimed Caretaker of the house used thugs to forcefully send tenants away without notice.
Narrating their ordeals to news men in Umuahia, one of the tenants, Mr. Chimezie Onuoha said they were surprised at the callous attitude of one Mr. Charles Ogu who they do not even know but claims to be a Caretaker.
According to him, “on the 10th of November, this year, a group of thugs with a police man in their midst came to our resident in No. 59 Awolowo Street by Calabar road and started evicting our properties.
They came into the house that I am a resident and I started packing out my properties, even my pregnant wife was crying and they never give her any consideration ”
He maintained that after scattering their goods and property, the group finally took them to the Police Station and detained them, disclosing that about 6 of the tenants were detained for more than 12 hours and were later bail with 10 thousand naira each. “we bail ourselves after signing undertaken at the police station that we must pack out, under duress because they said we will not leave that place unless we sign undertaken, so all of us signed undertaken that we must leave.” He said he has been living there for more than 8 months and cannot really fathom the whole situation.
Also, another tenant, Mr. Everest Chinegwu said that the thugs scattered the goods of those shop owners without any pre-information and called on government to come to their rescue.
He narrated thus
“I obtained a store in No. 59 Awolowo Street and I paid the landlord 2 years. I don’t know whether they have problem or not. All of a sudden, on the 10th of November, I was in Portharcourt and my daughter called me and said that people were packing my goods, no information, no paper was served me, no any message.
I asked why and they said the people were thugs” He further lamented that “my son, my daughter, all were detained in the police. I paid 20 thousand to bail the two. Likewise other shops there.” He said there is no how they should quit like that as he paid for 2 years and has only stayed for 6 months
They said they do not know whether their landlord, Mr. Ndubuisi Arisa has issues with anybody or has sold the property, emphasizing that the so called Caretaker should have given them time to quit since the rentage was still running. They disclosed that they have approached a lawyer for a legal action to be taken, expressing hope that justice would come their way.
