“My landlord just locked my shop and says I owe him money. Can he do that?”
It happens every week in Jos. You come to open your shop on a Monday morning and the padlock has been changed. Your landlord says you owe rent. Maybe you do, maybe you don’t — but either way, what he just did is illegal.
In Nigeria, a landlord cannot lock your premises, seize your goods, or evict you without a court order. It doesn’t matter what your tenancy agreement says. Self-help eviction is not recognized under Nigerian law — and you have rights.
Here’s what to do immediately:
1. Do not break the lock. As tempting as it is, that gives him ammunition against you. Stay calm.
2. Document everything. Take photos and videos of the locked premises with a timestamp. Do it now, before anything changes.
3. Write a formal complaint. Send a letter to him stating clearly that what he has done is unlawful and demanding access within 48 hours.
4. Report to the police if he refuses. Yes, the police. Unlawful eviction is a civil AND criminal matter in Nigeria.
5. Call a lawyer. A lawyer’s letter at this stage costs very little and moves mountains.
Your business is your livelihood. Don’t let anyone — including your landlord — take that from you illegally.
Have a legal situation you don’t understand? Send your question to info@bethanyattorney,com,ng/08067697066 and we may feature it in the next Bethany Brief.