Homeowners and residents of Surulere Community, Amikanle, in the Command area of Alimosho Local Council Area of Lagos State, yesterday questioned the use of thugs to demolish their houses and alleged police backing for the hoodlums.
The residents claimed that land grabbers, popularly known as Omo Onile, pulled down several buildings in the area with the support of police officers.
They alleged that the thugs, said to have been brought to enforce a court judgment in Suit No: ID/732M/2010 between Federal Housing Authority and Nurudeen Adewale & Bros (Nig) Ltd, demanded N55 million from some landlords, N30 million from others and N15 million from others.
No fewer than 70 structures, including residential buildings, shops and fences, were reportedly destroyed.
According to residents, about 300 hoodlums stormed the community, claiming they were acting on court documents from the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) authorising them to collect money for house renewal, with threats to demolish any property whose owner failed to pay.
Chairman of Surulere Estate Community Development Area (CDA), Mr Semiu Oladejo, told The Guardian that the hoodlums operated under police protection from Zone 2 and officers of the Lagos State Taskforce.
“They came with about 300 hoodlums, I am not exaggerating. The Nigeria Police should stop giving thugs and land grabbers protection. Officers from Zone 2, Lagos State Police Command, and the Taskforce watched our property being demolished and gave them protection,” he said.
One of the children of an affected landlord, who identified himself simply as Oluwafewa, also alleged that security operatives accompanied the thugs for two weeks, leaving occupants distraught.
“The thugs asked the landlords to obtain a form, which cost N100,000. Then they demanded an initial payment of N5m and asked them to pay the balance within two weeks. They charged different prices for different houses.
“Some said they were asked to pay N25m, but they demanded N15m from my parents,” he added.
Another resident said the situation had persisted for years, recounting how his uncle allegedly lost his property about 10 years ago after failing to meet similar demands.
“My uncle lost his property to them 10 years ago. The matter has existed for years, and I don’t think there is any solution in sight. That was how they came about 10 years ago and demanded N5m from my uncle. He didn’t have the money to give them, and he forfeited his house,” he said.
When contacted, the spokesperson for Zone 2 Police Command, Mr Afolayan Gbenga, said the officers present were from various formations and were there to execute a court order.
On the alleged involvement of thugs, he said: “It is not possible that officers went with thugs; we don’t use thugs.”
However, the Zonal Manager, Southwest, FHA, Mrs Rekiya Sani, in a letter to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Olohundare Jimoh, stated that the execution of judgment carried out by the Deputy Sheriff of Lagos State on January 27, 2026, at Federal Housing Authority Estate, Abesan 6, Surulere, Alagbado, Lagos State, was done without the knowledge or approval of the Authority’s management.
“It must be stated that though the judgment was obtained by the Authority and was in favour of the Authority, the execution and continuous demolition and illegal acts being carried out with the supervision of the Lagos State Task Force was without the approval, knowledge or authority of the Federal Housing Authority.
“While we appreciate your continuous support to the Authority, we wish to state categorically that the Authority does not approve any demolition and mode of execution of the judgment in the estate. I am therefore directed to request that the personnel from Lagos State Task Force stationed at the Federal Housing Authority Estate, Abesan 6, Surulere, Alagbado, Lagos State, be withdrawn from the estate immediately.”
In this article