A retired Air Commodore of the Nigerian Air Force, Abayomi Balogun, has narrated how a property he acquired in Abuja was demolished less than six months after he moved in, allegedly without prior notice, resulting in losses he estimates at over ₦50 million.
Balogun, who served in the Air Force for 34 years and retired in 2014 as Deputy Director of Operations, shared his experience in an interview, detailing the events that led to the demolition and the aftermath. He said the incident has left him emotionally distressed and financially affected.
According to Balogun, the property in question did not belong to him outright but was leased. He explained that the space was located within a park in Abuja and was leased from an individual who had earlier obtained the space from the park management.
He said he paid rent for three years and moved into the property in March 2025. Barely six months later, on August 7, 2025, officials of the Development Control Unit arrived at the site and commenced demolition activities.
Balogun stated that the demolition team claimed that several notices had been issued before the action was taken. He said he never saw any such notices and was not occupying the property at the time the alleged warnings were reportedly issued in 2024.
He said he immediately approached the Director of Development who was present at the site and identified himself as the occupant of the property. Balogun said he pleaded for time to remove his belongings, but his request was declined.
According to him, the official told him that he was only carrying out instructions and had no time to delay the operation. Balogun said he initially thought the situation could be resolved amicably, but within an hour, bulldozers were brought in and the structure was demolished.
He further alleged that after his property was pulled down, the demolition team abruptly stopped work and withdrew from the park, even though several other structures had earlier been marked for demolition.
Balogun said that immediately after the officials left, miscreants stormed the area and looted items that were still salvageable from the demolished building. He claimed his staff were unable to retrieve their belongings due to threats from the looters, who were reportedly armed with dangerous weapons.
He said the demolition led to the loss of furniture, fittings and other items he had recently installed after renovating the property. He estimated the total value of the losses to be more than ₦50 million.
Balogun denied claims that the property was illegally acquired. He explained that the individual who leased the space to him had earlier obtained it from the park management but later encountered disputes with the management.
He said it was only after the demolition that he learned of unresolved issues between the park management and the original leaseholder. According to him, the management allegedly wanted the leaseholder out of the park and used the Development Control Unit to enforce the decision.
Balogun maintained that the demolition was unjustified, noting that the Development Control Unit had earlier restructured parts of the park, created access roads and cleared areas for new developments, including the section where his property was located.
He also spoke about his efforts to stop the demolition when it started. He said he contacted the police and the Air Force, but by the time security personnel arrived, the structure had already been pulled down.
According to him, the demolition team was accompanied by armed security operatives, including police officers and civil defence personnel, which made it difficult for anyone to intervene.
Balogun said his first response after the incident was to seek legal redress due to the absence of notice. He disclosed that he consulted a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and was preparing to go to court when he was contacted by Human Rights Radio, which attempted to mediate.
During a live programme, the Director of Development Control reportedly admitted that an error had been made after initially claiming that Balogun had occupied the property for five years. Balogun said he was advised not to pursue legal action and was promised an amicable resolution.
He said he abandoned the court option in good faith but later discovered that efforts to resolve the matter stalled. According to him, attempts by his lawyer and driver to secure a meeting with the Development Control director were rebuffed.
Balogun said he subsequently petitioned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory through official channels. He added that the petition was submitted over two months ago, with copies sent to members of the National Assembly, but no response has been received.
He said the incident has taken a toll on him emotionally, particularly because he had just completed renovations before the demolition occurred. Balogun expressed disappointment that he was made to watch helplessly as the property was destroyed.
As of the time of the interview, the matter remains unresolved, with Balogun calling for intervention from relevant authorities to address what he described as an injustice.
