Family Demands Justice Over Pastor’s Death

A 67-year-old tenant, Pastor Bolaji Olukotun, has died after he was allegedly assaulted and forcefully evicted from his residence at Admiralty Homes Estate in Lekki, Lagos, during a disputed property takeover.
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday, July 11, while the pastor died in the early hours of the following Sunday after he was rushed to a private hospital. According to his lawyer, Barrister Akpobome Deniran, the dispute arose from an unresolved tenancy agreement. He explained that Pastor Olukotun had rented the apartment with an understanding that he could purchase it at the end of the lease. However, after failing to meet the financial requirements when the offer was made, the landlord allegedly insisted that he vacate the property for another buyer.
Deniran said he received a distress call from his client at about 2 p.m. on July 11, with the pastor pleading for help and saying he was dying. On arriving at House B11 in Admiralty Homes Estate, he found the pastor lying on the ground while his furniture, clothing, documents and other belongings had been scattered outside, suggesting he had been forcibly evicted.
The lawyer alleged that more than seven armed thugs, an armed mobile police officer, estate agent Blessing Idonor and a prospective buyer identified as Mr. Smith (Murphy) were present. He claimed the pastor was vomiting, groaning in pain and barely able to speak, while those present allegedly dismissed his condition, insisting he had taken a substance and was pretending. Deniran also maintained that those involved had no court order authorising the eviction and alleged that he was threatened by the police officer when he attempted to take photographs of the scene.
According to him, the estate’s head of security admitted granting those involved access after being contacted by the property owner but declined to provide further details. He added that severe flooding delayed efforts to evacuate the pastor until a water truck driver assisted in taking him out of the estate. The victim was taken to Udeko Medical Centre in the Chevron area of Lekki, where he continued complaining of severe stomach pain. After reporting the incident to the Ilasan Police Station, Deniran later learnt from the victim’s son that the pastor had been placed on oxygen before doctors confirmed his death.
The deceased’s son questioned claims that his father voluntarily packed his belongings or admitted taking any substance, insisting the condition of the property suggested a forceful eviction. He also questioned how several individuals, including alleged thugs and a police officer, gained access to the estate and called on the police to thoroughly investigate everyone present during the incident. According to him, despite reporting the matter, the family had not received any update from the police.
Efforts to reach the landlord, Chikeluba Francis, were unsuccessful. However, his solicitor, Caleb Onwe, denied that Pastor Olukotun was forcibly evicted or assaulted. He said the property owner, who is currently outside Nigeria, had been attempting to sell the apartment after the tenant’s lease allegedly expired.
Onwe claimed that officials, accompanied by a police officer, estate agent and prospective buyer, visited the property after the tenant reportedly indicated he would vacate. According to him, they found Pastor Olukotun already packing his belongings and lying weak inside the house. He further alleged that the deceased admitted taking an unknown substance and insisted that those present neither assaulted nor evicted him but instead contacted his lawyer and helped arrange his transportation to the hospital despite flooding in the area.
The solicitor dismissed allegations linking those who visited the property to the pastor’s death, insisting that such claims must be proven. When contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, said she could not provide an official comment because the complainant failed to return after making the initial report.
The circumstances surrounding Pastor Olukotun’s death remain disputed. While his family and lawyer maintain that he died from injuries sustained during a forceful eviction, the landlord’s solicitor insists there was neither an eviction nor an assault and claims the deceased had taken an unknown substance before officials arrived.