Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has claimed that a property owned by his younger brother was unlawfully demolished in Lagos.
In a post shared on his verified X account on Tuesday, Obi stated that the building, which belonged to his brother’s company and had been standing for over 15 years, was torn down without any legal justification.
He alleged that the demolition was carried out by unknown individuals based on a vague court ruling that neither referenced his brother nor the property and did not include any demolition directive.
He said, “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.
“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 said he flew in from Abuja to witness the scene firsthand.
On arrival, he was reportedly barred from entering the premises and was told that the demolition was being carried out pursuant to a court order.
However, according to Obi, the supposed judgment was addressed to unnamed squatters and did not include any demolition order or authorising documentation.
“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,” he said.
The incident underscores growing concerns over arbitrary actions and a lack of accountability by state actors and private enforcers.
Obi described the entire episode as “coordinated lawlessness,” lamenting what he sees as Nigeria’s descent into a state of impunity.
“I stood there from 10 am to 2 pm, waiting to get a call from whoever ordered the demolition. Nobody came. The contractor didn’t even know who sent him.
“Two men later came and said they would like us to go to a police station. I asked if they even had a demolition order but they had nothing. The whole situation screamed of coordinated lawlessness and impunity. Our country has become lawless,” he said.
Obi used the opportunity to reflect on broader implications for business and investment in Nigeria, citing a recent conversation with an investor who shunned the country due to its “lawless” reputation.
Obi added, “This is not about me or my brother—it’s about what ordinary Nigerians go through every day.
“If this can happen to someone with a registered company and legitimate ownership, what hope does the average citizen have?”
He reiterated his commitment to building a new Nigeria “where lawlessness will be a thing of the past, and protection of life, property, and civil rights are guaranteed.”
As of press time, no government agency had claimed responsibility for the demolition, and no official explanation had been given.
