National Assembly Staff ‘forges’ orphaned tenant’s signature to Doctor agreements

A struggling student of the NTA College, Jos, Rachel Timkat, who lost her father at a very tender age, who is barely managing to survive, has called on the federal government particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to come to her assistance by investigating Mr. Gregory Dakyap who is the landlord of the house she is staying in as a tenant.

Dakyap is the Secretary, Finance and Accounts, national Assembly, in Abuja.

According to Timkat, the landlord who is a well to do man, is using his wealth to oppress people like her as he has buildings in choice areas of Rayfield, Jos.

She said her signature was forged and falsified her tenancy agreement with Dakyap and his attorney, Mr. Philemon Shetsan Tunyang who is also his agent.

“I have no one but I have President Muhammadu Buhari and his anti-corruption agency to fight for me. I call on President Buhari, all the anti-graft agencies, the Attorney-General of the federation and the Presidential advisory committee on corruption and the code of conduct Bureau to investigate Mr. Gregory Dakyap,” Timkat added.

According to her, “Philemon Shetsan Tunyang Esq (landlord’s Attorney and Caretaker), to concomitantly worsen matters also went ahead to falsify the tenancy agreement which we executed by inserting a clause which is not in the original agreement, and by affixing a seal which was valid till 2016 for an agreement which was executed in 2017, all in a bid to pervert evidence and conceal his misconduct.”

She said the evolution of law and the system of courts is to check the barbaric nature of callous men who have a high propensity to be brutish, nasty and inhuman, “if there are no legal checks, sliding into a ‘state of nature’ where ‘might is right.”

The tenant (Timkat) said that the conduct of her forceful eviction and the subsequent falsification of evidence is unlawful, adding that in clear violation of due process of law, “Which requires the service of requisite notice as a pre-condition for an action to recover the said premises.

“Even where I defy such notices, only a competent court of law can order my eviction. Consequently, this whimsical, arbitrary and light-handed eviction is a clear usurpation of the powers of the court which cannot be allowed in a constitutional democracy.”

Timkat pointed out, “To worsen matters, I am a struggling student of the NTA College, Jos, and I lost my father at a very tender age, and I am barely managing to survive. While my travail lasted, Philemon Shetsan Tunyang Esq, went back to the property and boisterously boasted to the other occupants that he is a lawyer and that I should do my worst. He also said that we should meet in court.”

Narrating her story further, she said that she entered into a yearly tenancy agreement with the Attorney to the landlord on the 1st day of August, 2017 to occupy a one bedroom apartment in that property belonging to Dakyap at Musa Bot Street, Fwavwei, in Rayfield, Jos which he manages as solicitor to the landlord, where she paid the sum of N70,000 into Tunyang’s First Bank Account.

She presented copies of the tenancy agreement and the rent receipt issued in respect of the payment agreement done on 27th July, 2017.

The complainant said, “While this tenancy was still subsisting, Philemon Tunyang Shetsan, Esq. without notice, and in utter disregard for due process of law, came alongside a carpenter on the 17th of September, 2018, in my absence and ordered the carpenter to dismember the roof of the apartment which I occupied as a tenant.

“And shortly after the carpenter dismembered the roof of the said apartment, there was a heavy down pour leading to the complete destruction of all my property which include but are not limited to personal effects, electronics, beddings, wearing apparels, library, foodstuffs, school fees receipts (which must all be produced at graduation before result is issued), thereby foisting upon me a situation of helplessness.”

However, when the victim (tenant) reported the matter to the Area command of the Police in Jos, the Inspector in charge, Bulus Dania, wrote to invite the landlord but he did not honour the invitation and since that time, the police have kept sealed lips about the matter.

When The Guardian wanted to find out from Dakyap his own version of the whole story after calling several times without response, he now sent a text message after a text message was sent to him.

According to him, “The case is in court by her. Thus, I am under strict instructions by my lawyer not to divulge any information on the matter to anybody. She knows my lawyer. She had better approach him please.

“He has absorbed me from the matter. Please do this. Thanks and very sorry.”

Meanwhile, Mr. John Eche Okpe, counsel to Timkat in a letter to the landlord demanding an apology and N10million damages, but was not also honoured as he was going to take legal action as a result.