Lawlessness In Nigeria Deters Investors, Says Peter Obi.
Prominent Nigerian figure and former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has decried the escalating lawlessness in Nigeria, warning that it undermines the nation’s appeal to investors. Speaking after a distressing incident involving the illegal demolition of his brother’s property in Ikeja, Lagos, Obi highlighted how the absence of the rule of law continues to erode civil liberties, personal security, and basic living standards across the country.
Obi reported that his youngest brother had contacted him in a state of panic, revealing that a group of individuals had invaded his company’s property and begun demolishing the building without prior notice. According to Obi, his brother, who had just arrived from Port Harcourt, was denied access to the site by security personnel who claimed the demolition had started over the weekend. Obi stated that his brother, a peace-loving citizen, immediately sought legal recourse, unaware of the reasons behind the destruction.
Upon arriving at the property from Abuja, Obi said he was confronted by security personnel who attempted to bar him from entering. He explained that he pleaded with them, noting that the property had been owned by his brother’s company for over a decade. The security team claimed to have a court judgment, but when Obi requested to see it, he was shocked to learn it was issued against an “unknown person” and “squatters.” He further noted that no demolition order or permit was provided, raising questions about the legitimacy of the action.
“How do you sue an unknown person?” Obi was quoted as saying. “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.”
Obi recounted his efforts to identify those responsible, asking the excavators for details of who had ordered the demolition. He claimed they were unable to provide any information, stating only that they had been instructed to carry out the task. After waiting at the site for four hours, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Obi said he received no calls or visits from those behind the demolition. Later, two individuals suggested moving the matter to a police station, but they, too, failed to produce any demolition order.
Obi described the incident as a stark example of “coordinated lawlessness and impunity,” lamenting that Nigeria has descended into a state where such actions are commonplace. He recalled a recent conversation with an investor who refused to do business in Nigeria despite its market potential, citing the country’s lawlessness. “Until we have laws that protect people, nobody will invest in Nigeria,” Obi quoted the investor as saying.
Expressing his dismay, Obi questioned how Nigeria had reached such a level of disorder and what kind of nation was being built when citizens’ rights, lives, and properties are routinely disregarded. He reiterated his commitment to a “new Nigeria” where lawlessness would be eradicated, and the protection of life, property, human rights, and access to basic education for all would be prioritised.
“A new Nigeria is possible,” Obi declared, underscoring his vision for a country grounded in justice and fairness.
