Peter Obi to FG, States: Stop Demolishing Citizens’ Properties Without Notice

Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has strongly condemned the widespread demolition of private properties by government agencies across Nigeria, describing the actions as insensitive and unlawful.

In a post shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, Obi criticised both federal and state governments for what he called “willful destruction of people’s property and goods without notice.”

“I like to reiterate my strong condemnation of the willful destruction of people’s property and goods by governments at any level without notice,” Obi stated.

He said the demolitions were particularly disturbing given Nigeria’s worsening poverty rate, which he attributed to the administration’s economic policies over the last two years.

“An administration whose policies and style have sent several million Nigerians into poverty in 29 months should show compassion for its citizens,” he said.

The former governor lamented that such actions were coming “at a time when the government should be lifting citizens out of poverty, not plunging them deeper into hardship.”

According to him, the demolitions have not only destroyed livelihoods but have also undermined small businesses and worsened economic insecurity among hardworking Nigerians.

“Many of these shops contained goods worth billions of Naira, representing years of investment and toil,” he said. “What legal authority justifies the destruction of private property—clearly not used for criminal purposes—without prior notice or due process?”

Obi questioned whether the demolitions were genuinely in the public interest or merely “arbitrary and disproportionate exercises of power.”

He called on all levels of government to ensure that urban development and enforcement efforts are guided by due process, rule of law, and respect for citizens’ rights.

“These acts of demolition send a chilling message to entrepreneurs across the nation and beyond—that their hard work and sacrifices can be wiped away overnight,” he warned.

Obi concluded by urging Nigerians to stand against what he described as injustices that threaten economic growth and social stability.

“Every citizen has the right to build a life through honest work, and that right must never be trampled,” he said.

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