Lagos Estate  Residents Decry Alleged Mosque Construction

Mary Nnah

A contentious issue is brewing in the Abdullahi Adamu Estate in Obalende, Ikoyi, Lagos State, where Muslim residents have allegedly constructed a mosque on the estate car park and recreational area, sparking tensions among residents.

According to sources, the construction, which began in January 2023, was initially halted by the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) after residents objected to the development.

 However, despite the controversy, the Muslim residents, led by Naziru Abubakar and Ibrahim Ismaila Gwarzo, allegedly obtained approval for the mosque using a forged letter purportedly written by the estate Executive Council (EXCO).

The estate leadership has petitioned the state government to intervene and demolish the mosque, citing violations of the estate master plan and property rights.

According to the petition dated December 12, 2025, and addressed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, the Muslim residents, led by Naziru Abubakar and Ibrahim Ismaila Gwarzo, allegedly obtained approval for the mosque using a forged letter purportedly written by the estate Executive Council (EXCO). The EXCO claims that it did not authorise the construction and has since written to the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) to stop and demolish the building.

The land in dispute is designated as a car park and recreational area under the estate’s master plan, which does not provide for the construction of any religious building.

Residents have expressed willingness to accommodate a non-permanent prayer ground but object to the construction of a mosque, which they say infringes on their property rights and the estate’s planning framework.

The petition alleges that the General Manager of LASPPPA, TPL Kehinde Osinaike, and the agency’s legal adviser have been uncooperative and have attempted to impose a  ‘one-sided’ Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on residents to legitimize the construction of the mosque.

 The EXCO accuses the LASPPPA boss of giving tacit, surreptitious backing to those behind the construction of the illegal structure, thereby fanning the embers of a religious dispute in the estate.

The dispute has now moved to the court, with residents serving pre-action notices on the Muslim residents presenting themselves as the mosque management team, as well as on LASPPPA and the Lagos State Attorney-General, seeking the enforcement of their fundamental rights. Despite the suspended and revoked approval and pre-action notices served, fresh construction works resumed on the disputed land on December 12, 2025, prompting a renewed appeal to the Lagos State Government to urgently intervene and prevent a major religious crisis in the state.

The estate leadership has expressed concerns that the situation could snowball into a major religious crisis if not addressed urgently. The residents are urging the government to call the LASPPPA boss to order and ensure that the rule of law is upheld in the estate.

The Abdullahi Adamu Estate is a secular estate built by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in the 1990s. It was named after the then Minister of State for Works and Housing, Abdullahi Adamu, who later became the Nasarawa State governor and APC chairman. The estate has a diverse population of residents, and the controversy surrounding the mosque construction has raised concerns about the potential for religious tensions and conflicts.

As the situation continues to unfold, residents are anxiously awaiting the government’s response and hoping for a peaceful resolution to the dispute.