Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has decried what he termed Nigeria’s deepening descent into lawlessness under President Bola Tinubu, following the alleged demolition of a property owned by his younger brother in Ikeja, Lagos State.
In a strongly worded statement posted to his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, Obi expressed outrage over the incident, claiming it mirrors a broader pattern of impunity, disregard for due process, and erosion of civil liberties in the country.
“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.”
According to Obi, his brother’s property, which had been in use for over 15 years, was being destroyed without notice, proper documentation, or a legitimate demolition order. “They even informed him that this demolition had started over the weekend… He quickly started processing to go to court immediately, not knowing what must have resulted in this, as they moved fast to destroy his home without any restraint.”
Obi said he flew to Lagos immediately after receiving the distress call and attempted to access the property but was initially stopped by security agents.
“I humbly pleaded with them that the property belonged to my brother’s company… 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,” he said.
He continued, “I went further to ask about a demolition order or permit, and there was none. How do you sue an unknown person? How does a court issue a judgment in such a farce of a case? No one was served. No name was written. Yet they showed up with excavators and began destroying a structure that had stood for over 15 years.”
The former Anambra State governor said attempts to get clarification from those executing the demolition yielded no answers. “I immediately asked the excavators for the person who had sent them, and they said they didn’t know anyone, but they were only informed to come and demolish the house. I immediately told them to tell whoever it is that I would like to speak with them, if they can call my number… I stood there from 10am to 2pm, waiting to get a call at least and nobody called or came.”
He described the entire episode as symptomatic of a broken system and a warning sign for Nigeria’s future. “The whole situation screamed of coordinated lawlessness and impunity. Our country has become lawless.”
Obi tied the incident to a broader decline in civil protections in the country, stating: “I know what I have been going through as a person in abuse of my human rights just because I contested a Presidential election which I have legitimate rights to do. So I imagine what small business owners, regular citizens, and vulnerable communities face every day.”
He recounted a recent conversation with a businessman who chose to invest in Ghana, Senegal, and Benin Republic but not Nigeria, because, in the businessman’s words, “Nigeria is a lawless country. Until we have laws that protect people, nobody will invest in Nigeria.”
Lamenting the state of the country, Obi asked, “How did Nigeria get to this level of lawlessness? What kind of country are we trying to build when the rights of citizens, their lives, their properties, and their voices are trampled upon daily?”
Despite the incident, he reaffirmed his dedication to building a country founded on the rule of law and human dignity. “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 concluded.
