₦airaland Forum

naptu2:
"Recent reports showing that Nigeria’s human rights indicators have worsened merely highlight severe shortfalls in government protection for civil liberties, personal security, and basic living standards."

"I know what I have been going through as a person in abuse of my human rights just because I contested a Presidential election which I have legitimate rights to do."

Hm, let me guess, what does a land dispute between two parties have to do with government and presidential election?

Peter Obi’s brother heads to court over demolished Lagos property

By Matthew Atungwu
June 26, 2025

The majority shareholder of Next Foods Ltd, Ndibe Obi, the younger brother of the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has approached the court to challenge the demolition of his property in Ikeja, Lagos.

In an interview with newsmen in Awka, Anambra State, on Thursday, counsel to the company, Emeka Okpoko, SAN, stated that court processes had already commenced.

“We will make an order to be joined as parties to the case and seek leave for processes to be amended to incorporate the name of our client. We have an application seeking to set aside that judgment.

“We have a leg seeking to stay further execution. There is another leg seeking an injunction pending the hearing of the substantive matter. We also have a leg where we are saying convert this originating summons into pleading so that parties can defend the matter and for the court to hear from both sides and form an opinion,” he said.

Okpoko, who noted that the property was purchased in 2011, stated that the consent of the Governor of Lagos State was granted in 2013, adding that there had been no issues with the property until the recent developments.

The counsel said he could not blame the judge who delivered the judgment that prompted the demolition because, according to him, upon reviewing the file, they discovered a motion for substituted service to be pasted on the company.

According to him, judgment was delivered in 2024, and he emphasised that the execution only occurred in June 2025, despite it being required to take place within six months.

Reacting, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide expressed outrage over the demolition.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has refuted claims that any of its agencies was involved in the demolition.

The majority shareholder of Next Foods Ltd, Ndibe Obi, the younger brother of the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has approached the court to challenge the demolition of his property in Ikeja, Lagos.

In an interview with newsmen in Awka, Anambra State, on Thursday, counsel to the company, Emeka Okpoko, SAN, stated that court processes had already commenced.

“We will make an order to be joined as parties to the case and seek leave for processes to be amended to incorporate the name of our client. We have an application seeking to set aside that judgment.

“We have a leg seeking to stay further execution. There is another leg seeking an injunction pending the hearing of the substantive matter. We also have a leg where we are saying convert this originating summons into pleading so that parties can defend the matter and for the court to hear from both sides and form an opinion,” he said.

Okpoko, who noted that the property was purchased in 2011, stated that the consent of the Governor of Lagos State was granted in 2013, adding that there had been no issues with the property until the recent developments.

The counsel said he could not blame the judge who delivered the judgment that prompted the demolition because, according to him, upon reviewing the file, they discovered a motion for substituted service to be pasted on the company.

According to him, judgment was delivered in 2024, and he emphasised that the execution only occurred in June 2025, despite it being required to take place within six months.

Reacting, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide expressed outrage over the demolition.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has refuted claims that any of its agencies was involved in the demolition.

Peter Obi’s brother heads to court over demolition of Lagos property

…Says property was purchased in 2011 and Lagos governor’s consent was obtained in 2013


[quote]The majority shareholder of Next Foods Ltd, Mr. Ndibe Obi, who is the younger brother of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, has headed to the court to challenge the demolition of his property in Ikeja, Lagos.

Counsel the the company, Chief Emeka Okpoko, SAN, said in an interview in Awka on Thursday that the court processes have already begun.

He said: “We will make an order to be joined as parties to the case and seek leave for processes to be amended to incorporate the name of our client. We have an application seeking to set aside that judgment.

“We have a leg seeking to stay further execution. There is another leg seeking an injunction pending the hearing of the substantive matter. We also have a leg where we are saying convert this originating summons into pleading so that parties can defend the matter and for the court to hear from both sides and form an opinion”.

Going down memory lane, Okpoko said the property was purchased in 2011 and the consent of the governor of Lagos State was granted in 2013, adding that the property never had issues until the recent developments.

He added: “The land belongs to a company called Next Foods Ltd. Peter Obi’s younger brother is the majority shareholder of that company.

“The deed of assignment chronicled the history of that property right from Western Nigeria when the land registry was at Ibadan. That was when the last owners sold it. Their predecessor died leaving no will.

“When this event unfolded last Friday, I was called upon that some people came to claim execution. I spoke to the gateman there to know what they came with and he said they did not come with anything. I said there was no way they could come without a paper and he eventually saw a paper they came with.

“I read through the Form 41 and it was even talking about N5,700 owed and the order was to recover goods and chattels. The original case was between Deborah Olonwulogbo vs Unknown persons. I asked the security man if he did any transaction of N5700 and he said he didn’t have any dealing with anybody.

“I said we needed to trace the origin and from the document, I could see the case number which enabled us to go to the registry to unravel what happened. We traced the matter to a particular court and obtained the certified true copy based on the processes filed in the matter.

“When we went through it, we discovered that she, Deborah, commenced an originating summons for interpretation where there would be no controversy. Also, the process was seeking for possession, not title.

“We went through the affidavit and discovered that there were squatters on the property and that she owned the property and traveled to look after her sick husband and when she came back, she saw the squatters.”

Okpoko said he could not blame the judge that delivered the case that prompted the demolition because, according to him, going through the file, we saw that there was a motion for substituted service to be pasted on the company.

“My thinking told me that what they did was to go to a hidden place and placed it. Probably after pasting it, they got someone to remove it.

“The court insisted that they served hearing notices by same substituted means. I will not blame the judge because he saw that the order he gave was effective”, he said.

According to Okpoko, “Judgement was given in 2024 and they waited until this June 2025 to come for execution, when it was supposed to have been executed within six months.

“We have filled our own processes to show that truly speaking, we are the owners of the property. Nobody served us and we did not know the pendency of the matter. All we saw was this demolition.

“These are the issues we will pontificate in court and I believe and convinced that after hearing our own side of the story, I see no reason why we will not be successful.

“The case was filled in 2023 and judgement delivered in 2024 , but as I speak, I saw them flash Certificate of Occupancy, C of O, obtained in 2025. Prior to that, we found out that what they obtained was federal C of O obtained from the Federal Ministry of Works in Ikoyi Lagos.

“That was obtained in 2021 but we had our own in 2011 and governor’s consent in 2013. I don’t think federal C of O is applicable to Ikeja GRA, but I will further dip into that. I wonder whether at this point in time, there is still anything like approval in Ikeja GRA at this time everywhere in the area is built up. The C of O cannot change any transaction that has illegality or invalidity under it.”

Okpoko said the company has consistently been meeting its obligations to the Lagos State government.

“We have been making our annual returns to the Lagos State government till date. We have evidence to that and we will annex it”, he stated.

press9jatv:
but files are been kept. No files are missing. Everything is intact.

press9jatv:
it hasn't happend before since 2005. is bringing innovation to his platform. Nairaland have changed lives

AndSunGorilla:
Before the last AWCON, people had to shout and scream before she was included in the team. Now again she is being excluded.

bong4:
What is the sense in what this commissioner wrote? You have said, you are not aware, so why are you saying Obi's allegation should be discarded? Everything in that action is the same "agberoish" pattern of how government behaves. When those who demolished the building don't know who sent them to do the demolision, then you know government hand is in it.

FreeStuffsNG:
Supported. He lies blatantly in an attempt to blackmail his political opponents. This should be followed by a criminal investigation for defamation and cyberbullying of his victim who rightly owns the property.

naptu2:
In a way it reminds me of Otodo Gbame, only that the government is not involved in any way this time.

Two parties are fighting over a piece of land. Party A gets a court order to remove Party B and he executes it. Party B starts shouting "Government! Government"! What is government's business in the matter?

CLARIFICATION ON DEMOLITION OF PROPERTY

The Lagos State Government is compelled to address the recent allegations made by Mr. Peter Obi regarding the demolition of a property belonging to his brother. We wish to categorically state that the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) or any other arm of the Lagos State Government did not carry out the said demolition.

Dr. Olajide Abiodun Babatunde, Special Adviser, eGIS & Urban Development, who supervises LASBCA, has confirmed that the agency was not involved in the demolition. We find it disturbing that Mr. Peter Obi would make such allegations without verifying the facts.

The Lagos State Government is committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring the safety and security of all residents. We will not tolerate any acts of lawlessness or violations of extant laws. Any individual or group found involved in such acts will be brought to justice.

We urge the public to disregard Mr. Peter Obi's claims and rest assured that the Lagos State Government will continue to work tirelessly to maintain law and order in our great state. We will not be swayed by baseless allegations or attempts to discredit our efforts.

Furthermore, we have directed the Permanent Secretary, Office of Urban Development, Arc. Gbolahan Owodunni Oki, FNIA, to request a full investigation by the Lagos State Building Control Agency into this matter. This investigation will help clarify the circumstances surrounding the demolition and ensure that any necessary actions are taken.

The Lagos State Government welcomes everyone to live and work in the state, and we assure all residents of our continued commitment to their safety and well-being.

Signed

Mr. Gbenga Omotoso
Honourable Commissioner, Information & Strategy
Lagos State Government

Double0h7:
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Cc demonslayer

press9jatv:
yes. It's better than just click share without any effects on it. With this new features, Nairaland will be much exposed to the world of

press9jatv:
how, you can share your post or response to your fans on WhatsApp, FB, Instagram, x