By Tony Edike

Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has pledged to sign into law a proposed amendment to the state’s Landlord and Tenant Law aimed at curbing excessive agency and legal fees imposed on prospective tenants.

Mbah gave the assurance while speaking at a recent town hall meeting, where he outlined his administration’s plans to address housing challenges in the state through legislative reforms and increased housing supply.

Enugu Housing scheme

The governor said his administration was working with the Enugu State House of Assembly to ensure the proposed legislation was passed within four weeks, promising to sign it as soon as it was transmitted to him.

He said the government could effectively regulate charges imposed by property agents and lawyers but warned against imposing rent controls that could discourage investment in the housing sector and worsen accommodation shortages.

“One thing that government can regulate effectively is controlling the cost an agent charges as commission, controlling the legal fees. You can clearly make laws to guide that,” Mbah said.

The  Enugu Smart City

He explained that fixing a ceiling on the rent landlords could charge might discourage people from investing in residential property, potentially reducing housing supply and pushing rental prices even higher.

“It is extremely difficult to make laws to cap the fee the rent a landlord charges because once you do that, what you’re going to see is scarcity,” he said.

The governor added that his administration was adopting a supply-driven approach to addressing the housing crisis by expanding the city, developing new residential areas and increasing the availability of housing units.

Proposed structures at the Enugu Smart City

“So what we do as government is to try and push supplies in the market to see that we build new houses to ensure that there are enough homes so that that supply would drive down the rent,” he stated.

Mbah said his administration was working with the legislature to regulate tenancy-related fees while protecting residents from excessive charges.

“I’m committing to you that we’re going to work with the House of Assembly to ensure that within the next four weeks we’ll ensure that bill is passed into law, and I’ll be in a hurry to sign it so that we can protect Ndi Enugu,” the governor added.

Housing units ready for relocation of slum residents

The proposed amendment to the Landlord and Tenant Law, Cap. 101, Revised Laws of Enugu State, 2004, was disclosed by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Uche Ugwu, in a Facebook post on Monday, October 26, 2026.

According to Ugwu, the executive bill seeks to establish clearer rules for tenancy transactions, regulate estate agents, limit agency and legal fees, and provide a structured mechanism for handling caution fees and refunds.

The proposed legislation also seeks to reduce disputes between landlords and tenants over property damage through joint inventories and professional valuations where necessary, check arbitrary rent increases and create a more transparent framework for tenancy-related charges.

Screenshot

The executive bill comes after an earlier bill sponsored by the member representing Nkanu East State Constituency, Hon. Okey Mbah, which had passed its first and second readings, with a public hearing also conducted by the House.

While advocating the earlier bill in March 2025, Okey Mbah raised concerns about the high costs prospective tenants were required to pay, including agency commissions, legal fees, caution fees and other charges.

He argued that the absence of effective regulation had created opportunities for exploitation, with some individuals allegedly posing as property agents to collect money from unsuspecting accommodation seekers without providing the promised services.

The earlier proposal sought to limit agency and legal fees to a maximum of 10 per cent of the rent, prohibit caution fees and introduce safeguards against irregular and fraudulent evictions. However, the final provisions will depend on the version of the legislation passed by the House.

Ugwu said the renewed legislative effort aligned with Mbah’s vision of making Enugu a preferred destination for business, investment, tourism and residential living.

The proposed amendment comes amid persistent complaints about the rising cost of accommodation in Enugu, where prospective tenants often face substantial additional charges beyond the rent demanded by landlords.

If passed and signed into law, the legislation could introduce greater transparency into tenancy transactions and provide a regulatory framework for the activities of property agents, while helping to protect tenants from excessive fees.

However, the effectiveness of the proposed reforms will depend on the final provisions of the law, the establishment of appropriate enforcement mechanisms and compliance by landlords, estate agents and legal practitioners.

Senator Victor Umeh has challenged former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd.), to publish a truthful account of the Nigerian Civil War and apologise to the Igbo people, accusing him of distorting history and betraying the Aburi Accord.

Umeh, who represents Anambra Central Senatorial District, made the call while speaking with journalists in Awka, Anambra State, in reaction to Gowon’s recent interview on Arise Television, during which the former military leader blamed the late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, for the outbreak of the 30-month conflict.

Gowon also maintained that the war was not targeted at the Igbo people, a position Umeh strongly rejected, describing the former leader’s account as false and capable of reopening old wounds.

The senator urged Gowon to emulate former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, by documenting his version of events surrounding the war, insisting that Nigerians deserved an accurate account of the circumstances that led to the conflict.

According to Umeh, the war, which ended in 1970, left deep scars on the Igbo people, making it necessary for those who played key roles in the conflict to acknowledge their actions and contribute to genuine national reconciliation.

“We will not allow Gowon to lie or twist history. All that he said are false. At 91, I will not want to join issues with him, except, of course, if he is suffering from dementia. He has not done what he should be doing at this late stage of his life,” Umeh said.

He urged Gowon to use his remaining years to tell Nigerians the truth about the war and help heal the pain suffered by victims and their families.

“The war ended 51 years ago and we have moved on, but for him to come back at 91 years of age and begin to lie is unfortunate, and it means that he is not thinking about how to leave Nigeria in peace,” he said.

Umeh also questioned Gowon’s claim that the war was fought to preserve Nigeria’s unity, arguing that persistent violence and divisions across the country raised questions about the extent to which that objective had been achieved.

He further accused the former Head of State of contributing to political tensions and mistrust between the Igbo and Yoruba, alleging that decisions taken during his administration deepened divisions that continue to affect national cohesion.

The senator also accused Gowon of betraying the Aburi Accord reached with Ojukwu before the war, arguing that the failure to honour the agreement contributed to the outbreak of the conflict.

“What happened after Aburi was a complete betrayal, and the attempt now to rewrite history is an insult to the memory of those who died,” he said.

Umeh maintained that the consequences of the war could not be separated from the experiences of the Igbo people. He alleged that Igbo soldiers were targeted, businesses destroyed, and communities subjected to starvation and marginalisation during the conflict.

He also questioned Gowon’s account of events surrounding the January 1966 coup and the subsequent killing of then Head of State, Major-General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi.

Umeh challenged Gowon to explain what he knew about the events and the roles played by other military officers. He specifically referenced retired General Theophilus Danjuma, whom he said was still alive and could provide further insight into the circumstances surrounding Ironsi’s arrest and assassination.

The senator urged Gowon to refrain from making statements he considered provocative and instead publish a detailed account of the war for Nigerians to examine and assess.

“If he wants to say the truth, let him go and write his own book, so that when he is no more, his book will be circulated and he will be judged. Ojukwu is no more to join issues with him,” Umeh said.

He added that an honest account of the conflict would help Nigerians understand the causes of the war, acknowledge the suffering of those affected and promote genuine reconciliation.

Umeh insisted that confronting the historical controversies surrounding the Civil War remained necessary for national healing, warning that attempts to present an account that disregarded the suffering of victims could deepen existing grievances.

Tension has heightened following the emergence of a viral video purportedly showing members of an Islamic volunteer group chanting lyrics calling for an AK-47 rifle to attack Christians in Enugu and Jos, the Plateau State capital.

The footage, which has sparked outrage and concern on social media, reportedly features members of the Agaji volunteer wing of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), popularly known as Izala.

The video, shared by counterterrorism expert Zagazola Makama, gained traction on social media, particularly X, on Sunday.

It shows a group of young men dressed in brown uniforms and blue berets, with one of them leading a chant containing violent references to obtaining an AK-47 rifle to attack people described as “infidels” in the two cities.

In one section of the chant, the singer calls for a rifle to enable an individual to travel to Enugu and attack Christians while they are worshipping in church.

“He should be given AK-47. He would then go to Enugu, the land of the infidels. On Sunday, when they are worshipping and clapping, he would then open fire, so that he can kill the infidels,” the lyrics state.

The chant subsequently references Jos, with another call for an AK-47 to attack people described as infidels.

“He asked to be given an AK-47 again, so that he can go to Jos and kill more infidels. That is the training,” the singer says.

The video has triggered widespread concern among Nigerians, with many calling on security agencies to investigate the footage, identify those involved and take appropriate action to prevent any potential threat to public safety.

The references to Enugu and Jos, alongside the explicit calls for armed attacks during Christian worship, have raised concerns about the safety of residents and worshippers in the affected cities.

However, as of the time of filing this report, the governments of Enugu and Plateau states, as well as the relevant security agencies, had yet to issue official statements on the video.

It remains unclear when and where the footage was recorded and whether the individuals featured in it have been identified by security authorities.

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