Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has condemned what he described as a brazen act of lawlessness following the demolition of a property belonging to his youngest brother in Ikeja, Lagos, without any known demolition order, permit, or valid court judgement.

In a statement personally issued by Obi on Wednesday, he narrated how his brother, who had just returned from Port Harcourt, was barred from entering his company’s premises by security personnel who informed him that demolition had already begun. The property, which Obi said had been owned by his brother’s company for over a decade, was being torn down by unidentified agents who failed to present any legal backing for the action.

“When I arrived at the site from Abuja, security men tried to stop me from entering the property,” Obi said. “They claimed there was a court judgement, but when I demanded to see it, I discovered it was issued against ‘an unknown person’ and squatters — not my brother’s company.”

Obi said no name was listed on the supposed court order, no one was served, and no demolition permit was presented. When he questioned the contractors carrying out the demolition, they claimed they did not know who had engaged them and could not produce any documentation authorizing their actions.

“I stood there from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., waiting for a call from whoever sent them, but no one reached out. Two men later suggested we go to a police station, yet they had no demolition order to show,” Obi said. “It was clearly a coordinated act of impunity.”

The former Anambra State governor used the incident to highlight broader concerns about deteriorating human rights, institutional failure, and the rule of law in Nigeria. Drawing from his own experiences since contesting the 2023 presidential election, Obi lamented that even as a prominent citizen, he has faced abuse of his rights — raising serious questions about the safety and dignity of ordinary Nigerians.

“If this can happen to someone with a registered company and legitimate claims, what hope does the ordinary Nigerian have?” he asked.

Obi said the incident underscores why many investors avoid Nigeria. He recounted a recent conversation with a businessman who operates in Ghana, Senegal, and Benin Republic but refuses to invest in Nigeria due to what he called the country’s lawlessness and lack of legal protection.

“Our country has become lawless,” Obi warned. “What kind of nation are we building if the rights, properties, and voices of citizens are so easily trampled upon?”

He called for urgent reforms and reaffirmed his commitment to building a Nigeria anchored on the rule of law, protection of life and property, human rights, social justice, and equal opportunity for all.