A property belonging to Ndibe Obi, younger brother to Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, was demolished in Lagos, Nigeria on the 23rd of June 2025. On Monday, June 23, 2025, Ndibe Obi contacted his brother Peter Obi, reporting that a group of unidentified individuals, accompanied by security personnel, had invaded his company’s property in Ikeja and begun demolishing the building.
According to Peter Obi’s statement on his verified X account, the property, owned by Next Foods Ltd where Ndibe Obi is the majority shareholder, had stood for over 15 years, with ownership formalized in 2011 and the Governor’s consent granted in 2013. Obi claimed the demolition started over the weekend and continued into Monday, catching his brother, who had just returned from Port Harcourt, off guard.
Obi recounted rushing from Abuja to Lagos upon receiving the news, arriving at the site around 10 a.m. on June 23. He alleged that security personnel barred him and his brother from accessing the property, citing a court judgment as justification. However, when Obi demanded to see the legal documentation, he was shown a vague court order issued against “unknown persons” and “squatters,” which did not mention Ndibe Obi, Next Foods Ltd, or the specific property. No demolition permit or official order was provided, and the contractor operating the excavators claimed ignorance of who had commissioned the demolition. Obi remained at the site until 2 p.m., seeking answers, but reported that no responsible authority contacted him or clarified the situation.
Obi described the incident as a stark example of “coordinated lawlessness and impunity” in Nigeria. He emphasized the property’s long-standing legitimacy, noting its establishment in 2011 with the Governor’s consent granted in 2013, and decried the absence of any prior notice or legal documentation justifying the demolition. He expressed frustration over the incident’s broader implications, arguing that such acts of lawlessness deter investment in Nigeria, citing a recent conversation with a businessman who avoided the country due to its reputation for disregarding due process.
Obi’s response extended beyond personal grievance, framing the demolition as symptomatic of Nigeria’s deteriorating human rights and governance standards. He called for urgent action to address systemic impunity, warning that unchecked violations of property rights could further erode investor confidence and economic stability.
The Labour Party Caucus in the House of Representatives condemned the demolition, describing it as “deeply disturbing” and suggestive of a misuse of judicial processes. Afam Victor Ogene, a caucus member, linked the incident to Peter Obi’s role as a prominent opposition figure, alleging it was part of a broader pattern of intimidation following his 2023 presidential candidacy. The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide also expressed outrage, framing the demolition as an attack on legitimate business interests.
Ndibe Obi, through his legal counsel Emeka Okpoko, SAN, announced plans to challenge the demolition in court. Okpoko revealed that legal processes had commenced, including an application to join the case as a party, set aside the questionable judgment, seek an injunction to halt further actions, and convert the originating summons into a pleading to allow both sides to present their cases. He emphasized the property’s long-standing legitimacy and the absence of prior disputes until the recent events.