LAGOS: Children Detain Septuagenarian Father For 12 Months Over Property

Police in Lagos have rescued a 77-year-old landowner whose children allegedly detained him in a room for about a year in his Ejigbo residence.

Surajudeen Jaji was reportedly confined to a room in his house at No. 47 Maria Okor Street, Bucknor area after his children suspected he was making plans to sell his property.

It was gathered that Mr Jaji’s troubles began after his family employed a maid named Adija to look after him and his wife Rashidat.

The family sacked Adija months after employing her, accusing her of seducing Jaji into wanting to sell off his property.

“So, Alhaji Jaji was detained in his house from February 2020 till date. The family employed a maid to cater for him and along the line, the children alleged that the maid was in love with their father. Based on the allegation, the children claimed that the maid had influenced their father against them and that their father had been saying that he wanted to sell his property before he dies,” a member of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights Abdulganiyu Salaudeen told PUNCH Metro on Monday.

During his reported confinement, Jaji’s phone was seized by the family for fear he would keep contacting Adija. The children reportedly told anyone who cared to ask that they were keeping their father safe from contracting COVID-19.

One of Jaji’s children Titi told PUNCH: “We said we don’t want her (Adija’s) services again and I don’t know why she is making false accusations to different people that we locked up our father. Why will we do such a thing to our father? And why is Adija particular about our father? Our mum is also staying in the same house.”

Lagos police spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi said the case is being investigated.

“I don’t know the rationale behind locking their father up for wanting to sell his property. But the divisional police officer is working with the chairman of the local government council to take the man and his wife to hospital for treatment. Also, we will get across to the children and continue our investigation from there,” he said.