Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned what he described as growing lawlessness in Nigeria, following the alleged illegal demolition of his younger brother’s company property in Ikeja, Lagos
In a statement shared via his official Facebook page, Obi expressed outrage over the incident, warning that the increasing disregard for the rule of law and civil liberties could further discourage both local and foreign investors.
“Any society where lawlessness overrides the rule of law is not destined to be a haven for investors,” Obi said. “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.”
Obi explained that he received a distress call early Tuesday from his younger brother, who had just returned from Port Harcourt and discovered that their company property in Ikeja was being demolished. According to Obi, the property had been in their possession for over a decade.
“I rushed to Lagos from Abuja and headed straight to the site,” he said. “On arrival, I met security men who tried to stop me from entering. I pleaded with them, explaining that the property belonged to my brother’s company.”
When Obi demanded legal documentation authorizing the demolition, he was told there was a court judgment — allegedly issued against unnamed squatters or “unknown persons.” He described the judgment as a legal sham.
“How do you sue an unknown person? How does a court issue a judgment without naming a defendant or serving anyone?” Obi questioned. “Yet, they brought excavators and started tearing down a building that had stood for over 15 years.”
He said efforts to identify who was behind the demolition were met with silence. “I waited from 10am to 2pm, hoping someone would show up. No one did. The contractor claimed he didn’t know who sent him. It was a coordinated display of impunity.”
Obi also referenced a conversation with a businessman operating across West Africa, who refused to invest in Nigeria, citing the country’s weak legal protections.
“He told me plainly: ‘Nigeria is a lawless country. Until we have laws that protect people, nobody will invest here,’” Obi recounted.
The former Anambra governor concluded by questioning the nation’s trajectory.
“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?” he asked.
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