Landlord Drags Tenant To Court Over Alleged Prepaid Meter Bypass

Landlord Drags Tenant To Court Over Alleged Prepaid Meter Bypass

A landlord, Ayuba Kewa, has dragged his tenant, Lawrence Onoja, before a Senior Magistrates’ Court in Mararaba, Abuja, over alleged Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) meter bypass, unpaid electricity charges and recovery of a rented apartment in Nasarawa State.

The suit, which came up before Magistrate Joy Faruk on Thursday, followed claims by the landlord that the tenant allegedly tampered with a prepaid electricity meter installed in the apartment, resulting in heavy utility debts and the eventual disconnection of electricity supply to the property by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company.

According to court documents, the property in dispute is located at Plot 330/331, Doma Loop, opposite Kopda Office, Abacha Road, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Kewa, through his lawyer, Sunday Manchi, is seeking immediate recovery of possession of the premises, payment of outstanding utility charges amounting to N237,799.32, as well as N200,000 in litigation costs.

The plaintiff told the court that Onoja became his tenant through a written tenancy agreement dated January 25, 2025, with an annual rent fixed at N600,000 for a one-year term.

During proceedings, Kewa alleged that the defendant bypassed the prepaid meter before the expiration of his tenancy agreement, contrary to the terms contained in the rental contract.

“The defendant is my tenant. I gave him the house on January 25, 2025. I was in Jos when I received a call that AEDC had disconnected electricity supply to my building,” Kewa told the court.

“I went to the AEDC office to complain, but I was informed that my tenant had bypassed the meter.”

READ ALSO:

• Nigerian Professor Jailed 70 Months in US Over $1.4m Fraud
• Why South-East Won’t Support Peter Obi’s One-Term Presidency Proposal — Ikonne
• Presidency Attacks Peter Obi Over ‘One-Term’ Promise, Questions His Political Loyalty

The landlord further alleged that the illegal connection led to huge electricity debts attached to the building.

According to him, the defendant was initially indebted to the tune of about N400,000, while another tenant in the building owed N544,000.

Kewa explained that both tenants promised to settle their debts, but only one of them fulfilled the agreement.

“Lawrence refused to pay the outstanding N237,799.32,” he alleged.

The plaintiff also disclosed that his legal representatives issued the defendant a six-month Notice to Quit dated July 11, 2025, informing him that the tenancy would not be renewed.

He added that a seven-day notice dated January 26, 2026, was later served on the tenant as part of efforts to recover possession of the property.

According to the landlord, the defendant later attempted to pay fresh rent into the caretaker’s account shortly before the expiration of the tenancy, but the payment was rejected because the tenancy had already been legally terminated.

During cross-examination, the plaintiff’s counsel, Philip Yakubu, informed the court that the landlord had granted him power of attorney to handle the matter.

“The landlord gave me the power of attorney and I prepared the agreement for the defendant to sign, though he had no witness at the time,” he said.

However, counsel to the defendant, Edache Felix, challenged the authenticity of some of the documents presented before the court.

The defence lawyer argued that the documents allegedly obtained from AEDC lacked official signatures and confirmation stamps, making them unreliable.

“There is nothing to prove that the document emanated from AEDC because there is no signature or official stamp on it,” Felix argued.

“No notice has been issued to AEDC to produce the original document. Therefore, the document falls below the standard expected by the court.”

The case was adjourned until June 8, 2026, for further cross-examination and hearing.

The development comes amid intensified nationwide crackdowns on electricity theft, meter tampering and illegal power connections by electricity distribution companies and regulators.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) recently strengthened penalties against customers caught engaging in prepaid meter bypass and illegal electricity consumption.

Under the revised regulations, offenders risk disconnection, prosecution and fines running into hundreds of thousands of naira depending on the severity of the offence.

Power distribution companies across Nigeria have repeatedly warned customers against tampering with prepaid meters, describing the practice as criminal, dangerous and economically damaging to the electricity sector.

Landlord Drags Tenant To Court Over Alleged Prepaid Meter Bypass