The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a landlord and his associate after a rent disagreement turned fatal in the Oriyangi area of Ibadan.
The deceased tenant, identified simply as Olayeni, reportedly collapsed after being struck during a heated altercation with the landlord and his ally on Wednesday, September 3, 2025.
According to eyewitnesses, the disagreement escalated when the landlord confronted the tenant over unpaid rent. The situation allegedly took a violent turn when the landlord’s associate attacked Olayeni.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adewale Osifeso, said the suspects are in custody while investigations are ongoing.
He said, “On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, a tragic event occurred in Ibadan’s Oriyangi area, resulting in the death of a tenant following a rent dispute with his landlord.
During the altercation, the landlord’s associate allegedly struck the tenant, causing him to collapse. Emergency responders arrived quickly, but he was pronounced dead at the hospital. The suspects have since been arrested, and investigations are underway. The command expresses its condolences to the bereaved family and assures that justice will prevail.”
The incident has sparked fresh public concerns about the rising cost of rent in Nigeria and its link to frequent landlord-tenant clashes.
Community residents described the death as avoidable, urging authorities to address housing affordability.
“It’s painful that a man lost his life over rent. Government must step in to regulate rent to prevent issues like this,” a local resident said.
This is not the first such occurrence in Ibadan. In 2011, another landlord was arrested in the city after allegedly killing a tenant during an argument over a N300 electricity bill.
