Surulere Residents Allege Police-Backed Thugs in Demolition

Residents of Surulere, located in the Alimosho Local Council Area of Lagos State, have raised serious concerns regarding the demolition of their homes, alleging that police-backed thugs were involved in the operation. Reports indicate that approximately 300 men stormed the community, claiming to act on court documents from the Federal Housing Authority (FHA).

The demolitions, which affected no fewer than 70 structures, were reportedly supervised by officials from the Lagos State Police Command and the Lagos State Taskforce. Landlords have faced demands for compensation, with amounts varying from N15 million to N55 million.

Eyewitnesses described the situation as harrowing, with claims of harassment and intimidation by thugs. Semiu Oladejo, chairman of the Surulere Estate Community Development Area, corroborated these claims, stating that the police did not provide protection against the thugs.

Rekiya Sani, a zonal manager at the FHA, clarified that the demolitions, which occurred on January 27, 2026, were conducted without the authority's approval, emphasizing that the actions were unauthorized.