A Nigerian landlord, Olubukunaji Obajimi, 56, has been remanded in prison after he was arraigned in court for locking his tenants inside their apartment over his missing chicken.
He was arraigned on a two-count charge of conduct likely to cause breach of public peace and unlawfully locking out his tenant before Ejigbo Magistrate’s Court, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria.
The landlord alleged that his tenant, Chukwunonso Okafor and his family were responsible for his missing chicken and locked all of them inside their rooms from morning till evening, insisting they must produce the chicken.
The incident happened at 55, Olubukunayo Obajimi street, Egan, outskirts of Lagos, where both reside.
They pleaded to no avail and they contacted their relation, who in turn contacted the police.
Narrating what happened, the tenant’s wife, Mrs Ngozi Okafor said they woke up and after their usual morning prayer, they discovered that their apartment was locked from outside by the landlord and they could not go out.
She said her husband, Chukwunonso asked the landlord what happened and the landlord told him that his chicken was missing and he was suspecting that one of them in his family stole it.
She said the landlord said he would release them if they provide the chicken.
She said after pleading and explaining that they had nothing to do with his chicken, he refused to listen to them and they contacted her sister who contacted the police at Igando division who rescued them.
She said there were five of them living in the apartment the landlord locked up.
The occupants included her husband and their last baby.
The presiding Magistrate, Mr P. E. Nwaka granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.
He was remanded in custody pending when he will fulfil his bail conditions.
The matter was adjourned till 25 May, 2013.