The flagbearer of the Labour Party (LP) during the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, has reacted over what he considered the unlawful demolition of his brother’s property in Lagos.
Obi, in a statement on his official X account on Tuesday, said that lawlessness must stop for Nigeria to thrive.
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“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 explained.
“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. They even informed him that this demolition had started over the weekend.
“As a peace-loving Nigerian, he quickly started processing to go to court immediately, not knowing what must have resulted in this, as they moved fast to destroy his home without any restraint.”
Obi said he rushed to Lagos from Abuja after the call on Tuesday morning and headed straight to the property and on his arrival, he was met by security people who tried to bar him from entering the property.
He stated that he humbly pleaded with them that the property belonged to his brother’s company, and from the records, the company had owned the property for over a decade but they told him they had a court judgement, which he immediately requested for.
“You would not believe that the court judgment they claim was issued against an unknown person, and squatters. I went further to ask about a demolition order or permit, and there was none,” Obi said.
“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.
“I immediately asked the excavators for the person who had sent them, and they said they didn’t know anyone, but they were only informed to come and demolish the house. I immediately told them to tell whoever it is that I would like to speak with them, if they can call my number, which I shared with the excavators, so that I can speak with whomever gave them the order to demolish the property.”
The former governor of Anambra State said he stood there from 10am to 2pm, waiting to get a call at least but nobody called him or came, and the contractor even said he didn’t know who sent him.
According to Obi, two men later came and said they would like them to go to a police station, after which he asked if they even had a demolition order but they had nothing, making the whole situation scream of coordinated lawlessness and impunity.
The Labour Party chieftain said Nigeria has become lawless, which made him to reminisce about how just over the weekend, he had a meeting when someone told him how he has investments in Ghana, Senegal, and the Benin Republic, but won’t touch Nigeria despite his market being here.
Obi said he asked him why but his answer was piercing: “Nigeria is a lawless country. Until we have laws that protect people, nobody will invest in Nigeria.”
“I am just shocked. How did Nigeria get to this level of lawlessness? 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?,” Obi lamented.
He added that any society where lawlessness overrides the rule of law is not destined to be a haven for investors and according to him, 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.
He said he knows what he has been going through as a person in abuse of his human rights just because he contested a presidential election which he has legitimate rights to do.
“So I imagine what small business owners, regular citizens, and vulnerable communities face every day. If this level of lawlessness can happen to someone with a registered company and legitimate means, what hope does the ordinary Nigerian have?,” Obi said.
“I remain committed to a better Nigeria where lawlessness will be a thing of the past, protection of life and property, respect for human rights, care for the less privileged, and basic education for all children. A new Nigeria is Possible.”