A landlord and tenant in the Modugari area of Maiduguri, Borno State, clashed on Saturday, September 21, over the responsibility of repairing flood-damaged sections of their apartment.
The recent flooding, which devastated the state capital and its surroundings, left millions displaced and caused significant damage to properties.
Moses Tegwolo, the landlord, told newsmen that the flood was a natural disaster and could not be blamed on him. “I was also affected by the flood. I haven’t even fixed my part of the house yet.
How can he [the tenant] expect me to take full responsibility for the repairs? He even said if he does the repairs, he’ll deduct the cost from his rent,” Tegwolo explained.
He suggested bringing in a bricklayer to assess the damage and proposed that the repair costs be shared between them.
On the other hand, the tenant, Ahmed Isah, argued that the apartment was not in good condition when he rented it and that he had already spent money on various repairs.
“I painted the room, fixed broken floors, and repaired windows when I first moved in, and none of these costs were deducted from my rent. Now, the flood has caused more damage, and I’m being asked to handle it again,” Isah stated.
Despite the heated exchange, the two eventually agreed to share the repair costs after neighbors intervened, with both sides awaiting an estimate of the total expenses to determine the percentage each would cover.
