A dramatic incident unfolded in Calabar’s Waddle Street, Cross River State, involving a landlord and his tenants.
Cyber Reporters gathered that the tenants, fueled by frustration, publicly flogged their landlord, Obong Ete, on Sunday.
The reason behind the drastic action was allegations of theft leveled against Ete whose tenants accused him of stealing food items and other valuables from them.
Residents of the area claim this is not an isolated incident, as Ete has been terrorizing the community for years.
According to the residents, his actions have become a persistent problem, with many calling for action.
Daniel Akpan, a resident, shared his experience with Ete. “Obong Ete has been doing this for a long time. It’s good that he’s again publicly disgraced. He doesn’t want to repent.”
Akpan further revealed that youth leaders and vigilante groups have previously traced stolen items to Ete’s apartment and beaten him up. Despite this, Ete continues his alleged thievery.
Esther Eyo, another tenant, speculated that Ete’s behavior might be cursed. She cited rumors of him stealing from a church and being placed under a curse.
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Stanley Edem, also a tenant, corroborated accounts of Ete’s burglary. “We’ve caught him multiple times, and curses were placed on him,” Edem said.
Following the public flogging, the tenants handed Ete over to the Mbukpa police station. However, the Cross River Police PRO, Irene Ugbo condemned the tenants’ actions.
Ugbo emphasized that vigilante justice is unacceptable, stressing that the tenants should have arrested Ete and handed him over to the police for necessary action.
The incident highlights tensions between landlords and tenants in Nigeria, underscoring the need for effective dispute resolution mechanisms to prevent such drastic measures.
