LG Chairman Meets Deeper Life Church Leaders Over Demolished Building

Representatives from the Deeper Life Bible Church have met with Surulere Local Government officials on Wednesday, June 18th.

The meeting, held in the office of the local government’s Chairman, Mr. Sulaiman Bamidele Yusuf, aimed to find a peaceful resolution to the case sparked by the recent demolition of the church’s building at 36, Aina Street, Lawanson, Surulere, Lagos.

The demolition, which sparked widespread outrage, took place on May 26, 2025, despite a court order prohibiting the local government from taking such action.

According to Pastor Alfred Ogene, the leader of the Deeper Life delegation, who spoke after the meeting, the discussion was productive, and the council chairman has promised to consult with relevant officials and return to the church with proposals for peaceful resolution.

“The church’s position on the matter is that the local government, as a matter of urgent need, find an alternative for members to worship in the meantime while the case is being heard in court,” Oghene said.

Taiwo Kupolati, SAN, the church’s legal adviser, described the meeting as a positive step towards restoring justice and peace. “The meeting was a process of coming together to explore the possibility of bringing the entire situation to a peaceful conclusion.”

Christian Nwogu, an official of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), attended the meeting and expressed solidarity with the Deeper Life Bible Church, stating that the association supports the church’s quest for justice.

“We believe that an injustice done to one affects all. “The government must stop persecuting the church and submit to legal proceedings,” Anyanwu stated.

This incident, described in an earlier statement by the church’s legal representatives, Nojim Tairu & Co., as “an alarming pattern of hostility,” is part of a larger pattern of alleged government aggression against the church in Lagos. LAMATA demolished the Deeper Life’s church facilities in Yaba in June 2021, and the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) demolished the church’s Olorunishola Church in Ayobo in July 2024, as well.

Before the meeting, the church obtained a court order restoring the property to it pending the outcome of the case. The presiding judge, Justice E. O. Ashade, also ordered the council chairman and other management staff to appear in court to explain why they should not be charged with contempt.

The church’s spokesperson expressed confidence in the court’s ability to uphold the rule of law and protect their rights as they continue to pursue the matter.