THE Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has raised alarm over the demolition of a property belonging to his younger brother in Lagos, claiming the action was carried out without a valid court order.
In a post shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle yesterday, Obi stated that the building—owned by his brother’s company and located in Ikeja—had stood for over 15 years before it was brought down by unidentified individuals.
He alleged that the demolition was based on a vague court judgment that neither mentioned his brother nor authorized the demolition of the structure.
“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.
According to him, upon flying in from Abuja to the scene, he was denied access to the premises and informed that the demolition was being carried out under the guise of a court order—one which, he said, was riddled with irregularities.
“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,” he said, describing the process as “coordinated lawlessness.”
Obi recounted standing at the scene for several hours without any explanation from authorities. “The contractor didn’t even know who sent him. Two men eventually asked us to go to a police station but had no documentation,” he added.
The former Anambra State governor expressed deep concern about what he described as the lawlessness creeping into Nigeria’s governance and property rights enforcement, saying, “If this can happen to someone with a registered company and legitimate ownership, what hope does the average citizen have?”
He noted that the situation reflects the growing climate of impunity in the country, echoing concerns raised by foreign investors who now view Nigeria as a risky and lawless environment for business.
“This is not just about me or my brother. It’s about everyday Nigerians facing abuse and injustice with no recourse,” Obi said, reiterating his commitment to a vision of a “New Nigeria” where the rule of law and property rights are upheld.
As of press time, no Lagos State agency has claimed responsibility for the demolition, and no official statement has been issued to explain the incident.