Lagos, Nigeria: Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has accused unknown individuals of unlawfully demolishing a property belonging to his younger brother in Lagos, allegedly without a valid court order.
In a statement posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, Obi stated that the building—owned by his brother’s company and situated in Ikeja—had been in existence for over 15 years before it was recently pulled down.
According to Obi, the demolition was carried out by unidentified individuals who claimed to be acting under the authority of a court judgment. He, however, contested the legitimacy of the document, stating it neither referenced his brother nor the specific property in question, and contained no directive for demolition.
“This morning, my youngest brother called me frantically, informing me that a group of people had invaded his company’s property in Ikeja, Lagos, and were demolishing the building,” Obi wrote. “He had just arrived from Port Harcourt and was denied access to the premises by security men, who informed him that the building was being brought down.”
Obi said he flew into Lagos from Abuja upon receiving the news, only to be prevented from entering the property. He was informed on site that the action was based on a court order, though he claimed no credible legal backing was presented.
He described the judgment being cited as vague and directed at unnamed squatters, without mentioning his brother or the property, nor including any demolition instruction.
“How do you sue an unknown person? How does a court issue a judgment in such a farce of a case?” Obi queried. “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.”
As of the time of reporting, relevant Lagos State authorities had not issued an official response regarding the demolition or the legal basis for the action. The incident has drawn concern on social media, with users questioning the due process followed in property enforcement cases.
By Taiwo Olatinwo/ June 25,2025
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