By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo

The Osun State chapter of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has expressed deep concern over the growing exploitation of prospective tenants in Osogbo by house agents, describing it as part of the broader national housing crisis.

In a statement issued by the State Chairman of CDHR, Comrade Emmanuel Olowu, the organisation decried the alarming rate at which tenants are being compelled to pay outrageous and unjustifiable fees, often under the guise of housing scarcity.

“What is being experienced in Osogbo is a reflection of a larger problem across Nigeria, where the lack of regulatory oversight and poor government intervention has emboldened unethical practices in the housing sector,” Olowu stated.

He emphasised that the standard and legal procedure for acquiring rental properties typically involves a 10 per cent tenancy fee, a 10 per cent agency commission, and a refundable caution deposit that corresponds with the value and condition of the property. “Anything beyond this is clear exploitation and must be firmly resisted,” he said.

The CDHR blamed the government’s failure to prioritise housing as a critical issue, warning that the absence of proactive investment in public housing has allowed exploitation to thrive.

To address the crisis, the CDHR called on the Osun State Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria to take immediate action by Launching affordable housing projects to reduce the supply-demand gap fuelling the exploitation.