Peter Obi has described Nigeria as lawless after his younger brother’s company property was allegedly demolished without proper legal backing in Lagos. The former Labour Party presidential candidate shared his frustration in a statement on Tuesday via Facebook, citing the incident as one more example of how institutions in the country fail to protect citizens’ rights and investments.
Obi said his brother, who had just returned from Port Harcourt, alerted him early Tuesday that unknown persons had begun tearing down a company-owned property in Ikeja. On arriving at the site from Abuja, he said he met security operatives who initially blocked him from entering. He told them the property had belonged to his brother’s company for over ten years.
When Obi asked to see the legal documents for the demolition, he said he was shown a court judgment allegedly issued against “an unknown person” and unnamed squatters. According to him, the demolition began over the weekend without official notice or proper identification of the parties involved. He questioned how a court could issue such a judgment, stating that no one was served, no names were listed, and the property was being destroyed with excavators.
Obi said he stayed at the site for hours trying to speak with the people behind the action but received no answers. The contractor on site reportedly claimed he didn’t even know who gave the demolition order. Obi called the whole operation a clear act of impunity.
He recalled a conversation with a West African businessman who refused to invest in Nigeria because of incidents like this. Obi said the businessman told him plainly that Nigeria lacks legal protection for individuals and their assets.
Expressing concern for the country’s direction, Obi asked how a nation could progress when people’s rights, properties, and voices are constantly ignored. Despite the experience, he said he remains hopeful for a Nigeria where the law is respected, rights are protected, and everyone has access to education and support.
