KEY POINTS
- KWIRS officials allegedly evicted students from Malete hostels over a revenue dispute involving property owners.
- Affected students reportedly paid between N250,000 and N350,000 in annual rent and say they were not responsible for the alleged debt.
- Residents have questioned whether the evictions and closure of the hostels were carried out with proper notice or a court order.
Several students in Malete, Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State, have reportedly been left without accommodation after officials of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) allegedly evicted them from privately rented hostels and locked the buildings over an alleged revenue dispute involving the hostel owners.
The affected students reportedly paid between N250,000 and N350,000 for annual accommodation and said they were not responsible for any outstanding taxes or revenue obligations owed by the property owners.
According to the students, the officials arrived at the hostels, ordered occupants to leave and subsequently locked the buildings, leaving several tenants scrambling for alternative accommodation.
The development has triggered anger among the affected students, who argued that they should not be punished for a dispute between their landlords and the state government.
One student said the eviction came unexpectedly after they had already committed substantial amounts of money to secure accommodation for the academic year.
“We paid between N250,000 and N350,000 for these hostels. We are students and we are not the ones owing the government anything. Now they have chased us out and locked the place. Where are we supposed to sleep?” the student said.
Another student questioned why the government did not directly pursue the hostel owners if they had defaulted on their revenue obligations.
“We have paid our rent. If there is a problem between the government and the hostel owner, why are students being thrown out? We are not part of whatever revenue issue they are talking about,” the student said.
Residents challenge officials
A video obtained by SaharaReporters showed an apparent confrontation between some residents and officials reportedly involved in the enforcement operation.
In the footage, a resident questioned what would happen to the students after the hostel was locked.
“Now where do you want the student to sleep?” the resident asked.
Another man reportedly responded that the affected student could stay with a friend.
The resident then challenged the suggestion, asking why a student who had already paid for accommodation should be forced to leave.
“For the house she paid for?” the resident asked.
The resident also questioned whether the officials had obtained a court order or served the occupants with any formal notice before locking the property.
“That is not right. You have to bring a court order to lock the house. We are not duly served. You did not serve us any letter. Show us in your regulations and guidelines that you can lock the hostel and chase the students outside,” the resident said.
An official seen in the video appeared to dismiss the resistance from residents, saying the enforcement team was acting on instructions.
“We have faced people that are more than and bigger than this. We were sent on an errand. You can’t scare us,” the official said.
The exchange has intensified concerns among residents over the manner in which the revenue enforcement exercise was allegedly carried out.