A former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has shared a harrowing personal experience that underscores the alarming erosion of human rights and rule of law in the country.
Following a distressing phone call from his younger brother in Ikeja, Lagos, the politician recounted how an unidentified group invaded his brother’s company property and began demolishing the building according to him without a valid warrant or due process.
The former Anambra state governor highlighted that if such acts can happen to someone with a registered company, the ordinary Nigerian citizen is increasingly vulnerable to similar violations. “I imagine what small business owners, regular citizens, and vulnerable communities face every day,” he lamented.
Upon receiving the call in Abuja, the Obi rushed to Lagos to intervene, only to be confronted by security personnel who barred him from entering the property. He learned that the demolition was allegedly ordered based on a court judgment against an unknown person and “squatters.” There was no documentation, such as a demolition order or permit, allowing the destruction of the property, which had been owned by his brother’s company for over a decade.
“How do you sue an unknown person? How does a court issue a judgment in such a farce of a case?” he questioned, further emphasizing the chaotic nature of the incident. With no clear answers from the excavators or security personnel, who admitted they had no information on who ordered the demolition, the activist described the situation as a manifestation of coordinated lawlessness and impunity.
Obi diclsoee that recently, during a meeting, one investor shared that he avoids Nigeria despite its vast market potential, citing the country’s lawless reputation. “Until we have laws that protect people, nobody will invest in Nigeria,” the investor remarked, echoing concerns shared by many.
He expressed his shock over the current state of “lawlessness” in Nigeria and reiterated his commitment to fostering a better nation—one that prioritizes the protection of life and property, respects human rights, and provides fundamental education for all children. “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?” he questioned, urging the government to address these critical issues for the sake of future generations.