Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has raised serious concerns over what he describes as worsening lawlessness and disregard for the rule of law in Nigeria, following the demolition of a property owned by his brother’s company in Ikeja, Lagos.
Obi, who ran in the 2023 presidential election, said he received a distress call from his youngest brother on Monday morning, alerting him that unknown individuals had invaded their company premises and commenced demolition without prior notice or legal documentation.
“My brother, who had just arrived from Port Harcourt, was denied entry to the property by security operatives who claimed a demolition was underway. They said the exercise began over the weekend,” Obi said.
Rushing to the scene from Abuja, Obi said he was also initially denied access by security personnel but was eventually allowed in after identifying himself. He said upon inquiry, he was shown a court judgment that was allegedly issued against an “unknown person” and unnamed squatters—raising questions about the legality of the exercise.
“There was no demolition order or permit presented. The judgment had no named defendant. Yet excavators were destroying a building that had stood for over 15 years,” he added.
According to Obi, the contractors carrying out the demolition could not name the authority or individual who ordered the operation. Despite waiting on-site from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., no official presented themselves, and no one responded to Obi’s request for direct communication.
“This is coordinated lawlessness. If this can happen to someone with a legitimate business and property, what hope does the average Nigerian have?” he questioned.
Obi linked the incident to a broader deterioration in Nigeria’s human rights record, citing recent reports that reflect growing insecurity, impunity, and a lack of protection for civil liberties.
“As someone who has also faced harassment simply for contesting a presidential election, I understand the systemic abuse ordinary citizens face daily,” he said.
He warned that Nigeria’s failure to uphold the rule of law would continue to repel both local and international investors. “A country where lives and properties are destroyed without legal process cannot be an investment destination,” Obi stressed.
Reaffirming his commitment to a reformed Nigeria, Obi called for urgent action to restore law and order, protect citizens’ rights, and build a nation where justice and human dignity are upheld.
