Peter Obi, a former presidential candidate and Labour Party leader, has raised alarm over what he described as a troubling descent into lawlessness in Nigeria, following the demolition of a property belonging to his younger brother’s company in Ikeja, Lagos.
In a lengthy statement posted on social media Tuesday morning, Obi recounted how he received a distress call from his younger brother informing him that a group had invaded and begun demolishing the property without prior notice, a valid demolition order, or a known court directive.
“This morning, my youngest brother called me frantically, informing me that a group of people had invaded his company property in Ikeja, Lagos, and were demolishing the building,” Obi wrote. “He had just come in from Port Harcourt and was denied entry to the property by security men who told him the building was being pulled down.”
Obi, who said he rushed to Lagos from Abuja upon receiving the news, recounted being blocked by security personnel when he arrived at the scene. Despite his appeals, he said no legal documentation or demolition order was presented to justify the action.
“They told me they had a court judgment, and I immediately requested it. You would not believe that the court judgment they claim was issued against an unknown person, and squatters,” Obi said, expressing disbelief that a court could issue such a judgment without naming any party or serving proper legal notice.
“There was no demolition order. No name was written on any court process. Yet they showed up with excavators and began destroying a structure that had stood for over 15 years,” he added.
The former Anambra State governor said the demolition underscores the lawlessness that has become rampant in the country and cited this incident as a personal example of the insecurity ordinary Nigerians and investors face daily.
“If this level of lawlessness can happen to someone with a registered company and legitimate means, what hope does the ordinary Nigerian have?” he asked.
Obi said the individuals behind the demolition could not be identified, with the excavator operators claiming ignorance of who hired them. Two men who later appeared, he said, suggested going to a police station but still failed to produce any legal documentation authorizing the demolition.
“Our country has become lawless,” Obi declared. “I just started reminiscing about how just over the weekend, someone told me he has investments in Ghana, Senegal, and Benin Republic, but won’t touch Nigeria. His answer was piercing: ‘Nigeria is a lawless country. Until we have laws that protect people, nobody will invest in Nigeria.’”
The incident comes amid increasing concern over human rights abuses, arbitrary use of state power, and a breakdown in legal and institutional protections under the current administration. Obi tied his personal ordeal to broader governance failures, saying, “Recent reports showing that Nigeria’s human rights indicators have worsened merely highlight severe shortfalls in government protection for civil liberties, personal security, and basic living standards.”
He concluded by reaffirming his commitment to the vision of a “New Nigeria,” one where human rights are respected, property is protected, and citizens no longer live under fear of arbitrary actions by powerful interests.
“I remain committed to a better Nigeria where lawlessness will be a thing of the past, protection of life and property, respect for human rights, care for the less privileged, and basic education for all children,” he said.
The Lagos State government has yet to respond to the allegations, and it remains unclear who ordered the demolition.
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