Court orders tenant to pay landlord N11.2m accrued rent arrears

A Life Camp Magistrates’ Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday has ordered a tenant, Mrs Oyindamola Ogundipe, to pay accumulated rent  amounting to  N11.2 million to her landlord, Messrs Monguno Engineering Ltd.

Delivering judgment, Senior Magistrate Raphael Egbe, also ordered the defendant to vacate  the plaintiff’s apartment, which she had been occupying since 2017.

The total amount comprises  rent arrears of N6.4 million which accumulated between 2019, 2020 and 2021, as well as N267,000 monthly payments between  August, 2021 and  February, 2022 respectively.

The payment also included  N267,000 monthly as mense profit, from 1st March, 2022 to date until when the defendant completes the payment and vacates the  property.

“Accordingly, the defendant is hereby ordered to immediately vacate House 41, Festus Nwore St.,Karsana, Efab Estate, Abuja.

“The claimant/plaintiff is ordered to recover N6.4 million as arrears of rent the period in question  from August, 2021 to February, 2022.

“The defendant is also ordered to pay the plaintiff N267,000 monthly, as mense profit, from 1st March, 2022, until she vacates possession of the premises,” Magistrate Egbe held.

The plaintiff had, through his counsel led the suit on April 30, 2022, praying for the payment of accrued rent arrears of N9, 600,000 from August 2019 to August 2022.

The claimant/plaintiff had also prayed for a court order compelling the defendant to pay a mense profit of 267, 000 monthly from March 2022 until when the quit notice expired and the property’s possession delivered.

Throughout the course of the matter, the defendant never appeared in court, nor was she  represented by a lawyer.