By Anifowoshe Oladipupo
Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned what he described as “coordinated lawlessness” in Nigeria following the demolition of a property belonging to his younger brother’s company in Lagos.
In a statement shared via his verified X handle on Tuesday, Obi revealed that the property, which had stood for over 15 years, was demolished by unidentified individuals allegedly acting on a vague and unspecified court judgment.
According to him, the judgment neither named his brother nor referenced the property in question and contained no demolition order.
Obi warned that the incident goes beyond a family dispute, calling it a reflection of the deepening erosion of due process and rule of law in Nigeria.
“This is a stark illustration of coordinated lawlessness that has profound implications for public safety and the general sense of insecurity across the country,” he wrote.
The former Anambra State governor said the demolition highlights a growing climate of fear that discourages both local and foreign investment.
He recounted a recent encounter with an investor who expressed reluctance to invest in Nigeria due to the country’s reputation for lawlessness and instability.
“This is not about me or my brother—it’s about the daily reality faced by ordinary Nigerians,” Obi stated. “If a registered company with legitimate ownership can have its property arbitrarily destroyed, what hope is there for the average citizen?”
He emphasized that the destruction of private property without due process undermines the security and livelihoods of citizens and erodes trust in governance and justice systems.
Obi concluded that such incidents, especially when involving individuals with some measure of public visibility; send a troubling message to the wider public and further weaken faith in the rule of law.
