Monday, March, 9 2026 - Stakeholders in the real estate sector have condemned the demolition of about 50 buildings in the Surulere community in Lagos State by suspected land grabbers, popularly known as Omo Onile, advocating the need for transparency and proper documentation in the real estate sector.
Several homeowners in the Surulere community, Amikanle, near
the Command area of the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, are
counting their losses after several houses were demolished in the area.
According to Punch, thugs invaded the community on Tuesday,
27 January 2026, and started demanding between N15m and N25m from house owners.
The thugs, according to some residents, have demolished the
houses of those who were unable to pay.
The founder and Chief Executive Officer of Oikus, Mr Israel
Ihaza, condemned the act and called for transparency, structure, and proper
documentation in how real estate activities are conducted.
“It’s sad how some individuals continue to bastardise
government authority and existing regulatory structures to carry out illegal
activities. Incidents like this are deeply troubling and painful for everyone
who believes in the rule of law and the future of real estate in Lagos,” Ihaza
said.
According to him, disorder thrives where there is opacity,
adding that when ownership records are unclear, enforcement is weak, and
property visibility is fragmented, “it creates room for abuse by bad actors.”
Ihaza stressed that the government is actively working
toward stronger systems, digital oversight, and regulatory enforcement to curb
these long-standing issues.
“Efforts are underway to professionalise the sector,
digitise records, and improve accountability across the value chain. These
reforms take time, but they are necessary. The so-called Omo Onile menace has
been a structural challenge for years. I have personally experienced related
pressures in the past, not in this exact scenario, but enough to understand the
emotional and financial trauma involved,” he said.
He admitted that whenever a house is demolished, the damage
goes far beyond bricks and mortar: “It’s life savings; it’s retirement plans;
it’s children’s school fees; and it’s stability. The broader implication is
even more concerning. It creates fear among local investors, fear among
diaspora Nigerians looking to return capital home, and fear among developers
planning new projects. And fear slows economic growth. This is why enforcement
and visible consequences matter. The faster such incidents are decisively
addressed within the framework of the law, the stronger investor confidence
becomes.”
Also speaking, the legal counsel to the Project Affected
Persons within the 150-metre setback of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sola
Enitan, said that demolition has become an easier mode of extortion in Nigeria,
especially in Lagos State, urging the affected parties to fight for their
rights.
On the financial consequences of the demolition, he said, “That’s a N2 tn loss in the last two years. Fifty-two buildings, conservatively priced at N50m each, amount to N2.6bn. It’s an investment negotiation. For every single house you demolish, ten people will take their money elsewhere, and housing for at least 100 people will be removed from the sector.”
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