Families of some police officers on Sunday protested the alleged demolition of their houses by the Sokoto State Government
The houses, located along Kontagora Road in Sokoto metropolis, were reportedly demolished around 6am by a bulldozer escorted by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)
Our correspondent who visited the area observed that the perimeter fence and part of one of the houses had been pulled down
One of the victims, Hajiya Safiya, widow of the late Assistant Commissioner of Police, Haliru Gwarzo, said she had lived in the house with her children for more than 20 years
She said her husband died a few years ago while in active service
“We were sleeping around 6am when we heard the sound of heavy machines approaching our houses We hurriedly came out with our children, only to discover that a bulldozer had been sent to demolish our houses under the cover of some security operatives.
“They pulled down our perimeter fence and started demolishing one of the houses before some of our neighbours came out and started throwing stones at them,” she said
Safiya said her late husband had been posted to Sabon Birni Local Government Area to fight bandits, where he fell ill and subsequently died
“He left some children for me, whom I am struggling to take care of But this is how the Sokoto State Government is paying us for the sacrifice made by my husband, who was our breadwinner,” she said.
She appealed to the Inspector-General of Police and the Sokoto State Commissioner of Police to intervene
Another victim, Hajiya Shafa’atu Abubakar, appealed to the authorities to ensure that the houses were sold to the police officers under an owner-occupier arrangement
“This is what is done to their colleagues in other states We found out that the houses belong to the Federal Government, not the state government,” she said.
She added that the demolition of the perimeter fence had exposed the occupants to theft and other criminal activities
Our correspondent observed that a court notice issued by the Sokoto State Rent Tribunal had been pasted on the affected houses
According to the notice, the case was filed by All Pro Developers Limited against the Sokoto State Commissioner of Police and nine others
The plaintiff sought, among other reliefs, an interim order of ejectment against the occupants, claiming that it had been engaged and authorised by the state government to undertake and execute the development of the property on behalf of the government
However, the tribunal granted only the fourth prayer, directing that the defendants be served individually to appear before it on Tuesday, September 8, 2026
A senior police officer, who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity, said the state government had allocated 10 houses to the police at the Marafa Danbaba Housing Estate, Konnawa, as an alternative to the demolished houses
When contacted, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Land and Housing, Barrister Nasiru Dantsoho, said he was not aware of the development
He added that the matter was not taken to court by his ministry
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the developer were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report