The police in Lagos have arrested four scrap metal dealers for allegedly chasing away their landlord for demanding rent from them.
The suspects, Aliyu Abubakar, 28, Okasha Abdullahi, 19, Bashir Sani, 30, Nura Haruna, 19, and Sani Salisu, were arrested after their landlord, identified as Reuben, reported a case of assault and threat to his life against them.
The police said the suspects, in the first place, took over the house without the consent of the landlord.
A source close to the police said sometime in 2022, the landlord approached the suspects to demand who allowed them into his uncoupled property located along New Road, Ijegun, in Lagos.
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The source alleged that during the meeting, the suspects agreed to pay a yet-to-be-ascertained amount as rent, but pleaded with the landlord for some time to enable them to raise the money.
It was learnt that the landlord became frustrated when all efforts made to collect the money were unsuccessful.
Determined to take possession of his property, the landlord again went to the house on April 14, 2023, only for the suspects to put up stiff resistance.
He was said to have been chased away with machetes.
Worried by the actions of the suspects, the landlord approached the police at a nearby station, leading to the arrest of the suspects.
The State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, ordered that the suspects be charged to court.
