Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi has raised the alarm over what he described as a disturbing display of lawlessness and human rights abuse after his younger brother’s company property in Ikeja, Lagos, was allegedly demolished without due legal process.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Peter Obi expressed deep concern over the increasing disregard for the rule of law in Nigeria. He revealed that the latest incident involved the demolition of a property that had been owned by his brother’s company for over a decade.
According to him, he received a distress call from his youngest brother earlier that morning, notifying him that unknown individuals had invaded their family property and commenced demolition without prior notice or court documentation. The younger brother, who had just arrived from Port Harcourt, was reportedly denied access to the premises by security personnel on site.
“They told him the demolition had started over the weekend. He couldn’t even enter the compound,” the source said.
He recounted rushing from Abuja to Lagos immediately after receiving the call, only to be met with resistance from the security personnel at the site, who claimed they were acting on a court judgment. However, upon closer inspection, the supposed court order referenced "unknown persons and squatters" with no direct mention of the property’s owners.
“There was no demolition order, no permit. The judgment they waved around wasn’t even against our company. How can a court case be filed against an unknown person and still result in a demolition?” he queried.
Despite demanding to speak with whoever issued the demolition order, he said no one came forward. The contractors allegedly refused to disclose who hired them, stating they were only told to carry out the demolition.
He waited on-site from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., hoping someone in charge would contact him, having given his phone number to the workers. However, no calls came, and the demolition continued unchecked. He described the entire ordeal as a blatant act of “coordinated lawlessness and impunity.”
The incident has renewed concerns about property rights, judicial transparency, and abuse of power in Nigeria. Drawing from his own experiences as a former presidential aspirant, he said the situation is even more dire for ordinary citizens and small business owners without influence or means.
“If this can happen to someone with a registered company and legal ownership records, what hope is there for the average Nigerian?” he asked.
He linked the deteriorating rule of law to Nigeria’s diminishing appeal to investors, citing a recent conversation with a regional businessman who said he avoids investing in Nigeria due to its legal uncertainties.
“Nigeria is a lawless country. Until we have laws that protect people, nobody will invest here,” he quoted the investor as saying.
Calling for immediate reforms, he reaffirmed his commitment to building a nation where citizens' rights are protected and upheld, saying:
“We cannot continue like this. The government must prioritize human rights, due process, and the sanctity of private property. Only then can we create a secure and investible nation.”
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