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The agent collected ₦700,000, blew it all — debts and betting — then told his victim: “You can’t do me anything.” He was wrong.
By Staff Reporter | February 27, 2026 | Crime & Society
A house agent in Ibadan, Oyo State, is currently cooling off behind bars at the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Agodi after he collected ₦700,000 in rent from an NYSC corps member — and spent every last kobo of it on personal debts and sports betting. What made the story go viral, however, wasn’t just the betrayal. It was what he said when he got caught.
According to a widely shared post on X (formerly Twitter), the unnamed corps member had paid the full sum to secure an apartment in Ibadan during their service year. What followed was a familiar script: delays, excuses, phantom appointments, and an agent who kept not showing up. When the agent finally came clean, his confession was staggering in its casualness.
He admitted to using part of the ₦700,000 to settle personal debts — and gambling the remainder away on sports betting platforms. He expressed no plan to refund the money and showed no remorse.
That alone would have been enough to make the story infuriating. But the agent went further. When confronted by the corper, the man reportedly looked his victim in the eye and said:
“You can’t do me anything.”
Five words. Absolute confidence. Completely wrong. The corps member reported the matter to the appropriate authorities, provided documentation, and pushed until the legal system caught up with him. The agent is now an inmate at Agodi Correctional Centre, Ibadan.
But let’s pause on what it takes to arrive at a moment like this. This corps member — far from home, serving their nation on a monthly allowance that barely covers transport — somehow scraped together ₦700,000. For most young Nigerians doing their service year, that sum represents family contributions, months of careful saving, and real financial sacrifice. It’s handed over in good faith to someone who presents themselves as a trusted professional.
The house agent ecosystem in Nigeria has long been a source of frustration. Unregulated, largely informal, and prone to exploitation, it puts vulnerable people — especially newcomers to a city — at serious risk. Corps members are a particular target. They arrive in unfamiliar states, need accommodation urgently, and don’t always know who to trust.
The sports betting angle deserves its own conversation. The industry in Nigeria has grown at a staggering pace, and while millions play responsibly, the human wreckage left behind by addiction is becoming impossible to ignore. This case simply made the news because the victim refused to stay quiet.
And that is the lesson that cuts through all of this: document everything, report everything, and never accept “you can’t do me anything” as a final answer.
The agent is in Agodi. Justice moved. And somewhere out there, an NYSC corps member is getting the closure they deserved.
