The Rivers Police Command has taken a Ghanaian national, Samuel Frimpong, into custody following allegations that he removed the roof on his tenant, Anozie Tochukwu’s apartment in the state.
As gathered, the alleged incident occurred at No. 7 Chief Chike Street, Mgbuoba, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, after which detectives from the Ozuoba Police Division arrested the landlord on Wednesday, February 3, 2026, following a formal complaint.
Narrating events leading up to the incident, Mr. Tochukwu said he moved into the property in January 2024 and consistently met rental obligations, but was later informed in late 2025 not to renew his lease due to planned renovations.
He explained that after presenting evidence of payment for a new apartment on February 1, 2026, he requested a 14-day grace period to relocate, a request he said was initially acknowledged by the landlord.
“But to my greatest surprise, at about 8:02 AM, on February 3, 2026, my wife called to inform me that the landlord (Mr Frimpong) had de-roofed my apartment,” Tochukwu said, adding that rainfall destroyed property valued at about ₦25 million and exposed his pregnant wife and two young children.
It was learnt that the landlord was detained amid protests by residents over poor enforcement of the law guiding tenants’ eviction and protection under Nigerian law.
The claims were that the landlord’s action exposed the tenant’s family and property to severe risk and loss.
The incident has also prompted condemnation from legal and human rights advocates, who describe the matter as an extreme abuse of landlord authority and a troubling example of citizens bypassing established legal procedures for dispute resolution.
Confirming the arrest, Rivers State Police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko said, “Yes, I can confirm. The landlord has been arrested. He is with us (the police); the investigation is ongoing. He may be arraigned after the investigation.”
Reacting separately, a legal practitioner with Lawyers Watch for Justice International Initiative, Raymond Okocha, described the incident as unlawful, saying, “Under the Nigerian law, ‘self-help’ is alien. You cannot evict a tenant by destroying the property… This is a clear case of malicious damage and psychological abuse.”
