Tenants Publicly Punish Landlord for Alleged Theft in Neighborhood

In Calabar South, Cross River State, a landlord named Obong Ete faced a brutal assault from his tenants and nearby residents who accused him of stealing from them.The altercation took place early on Sunday, just as people were preparing to attend church services.Residents claimed that Ete, a man in his 30s and unmarried, had a history of causing trouble at night, often stealing food and various household items from neighbors.

One resident, John Akpan, commented, “Obong Ete has been doing this for a while. It’s about time he was publicly shamed.”Ete had been confronted by local youth leaders and vigilante groups on numerous occasions after items reportedly stolen from residents were found in his apartment.

According to the Daily Post, a tenant named Magdalene Effiom revealed that Ete was even rumored to have stolen from a church, prompting worshippers to place curses on him, which some believe might now be affecting him.Following the beating, local leaders demanded Ete take an oath promising to stop stealing, which he did, apologizing by saying, I am sorry for stealing. I swear I will not steal again.

The community also suspected a young man living with Ete of being involved and forcibly evicted him from the area as well.Police spokesperson Irene Ugbo criticized the mob action, stressing that residents should report such issues to law enforcement rather than resorting to violence.