A disagreement over a rent increase from ₦300,000 to ₦1 million has reportedly turned violent in Benin City, Edo State, after a tenant allegedly attacked his landlord, leaving him with serious head injuries.

 

The incident came to light after a video circulated online on Friday, October 30, 2026, showing the tenant admitting that he injured the landlord while attempting to explain what led to the confrontation.

 

In the video, the tenant claimed that he acted in self-defence after the landlord allegedly slapped him during an argument.

 

How the Disagreement Started

 

According to the tenant, the disagreement began over renovation work he had carried out in the apartment using his personal funds.

 

He explained that he paid for tiling work to improve the property and make the space more suitable for his business.

 

However, the landlord allegedly confronted him over the renovation and demanded additional payment in connection with the work.

 

The situation reportedly escalated when the landlord increased the tenant’s rent from ₦300,000 to ₦1 million, triggering a heated disagreement between both parties.

 

Tenant Claims Landlord Slapped Him First

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While acknowledging that he injured the landlord, the tenant insisted that the confrontation was not premeditated.

 

He alleged that the landlord slapped him first, prompting his reaction.

 

“He slapped me first and out of my defence, I smashed his head. It wasn’t intentional,” the tenant said in the video.

 

His account suggests that the physical confrontation followed an argument over the renovation work and the proposed rent increase.

 

Landlord Reportedly Sustains Serious Injuries

 

The confrontation reportedly left the landlord with serious injuries to his head.

 

However, details surrounding the landlord’s current medical condition, the exact circumstances of the assault and whether security agencies have intervened were not provided in the available account.

 

The incident has drawn attention to the potential consequences of disputes between landlords and tenants, particularly disagreements involving rent adjustments and improvements made to rented properties.

 

While the tenant has presented his account of what happened, the circumstances surrounding the confrontation and the claims made by both parties would need to be independently established.