The premises of Next Foods Limited, a company owned by Ndibe Obi, the younger brother of Mr. Peter Obi was violently invaded and partially demolished under highly suspicious circumstances.
The incident occurred on Monday, June 23, 2025, when bulldozers arrived at 57 Oduduwa Crescent, Ikeja GRA, and began demolishing the building without any prior notice to the owners. A shocked Ndibe Obi, who had lawfully owned and maintained the property since 2011 without dispute, made a frantic call to his elder brother.
Peter Obi, then en route to Abuja for an official engagement, aborted his trip and flew back to Lagos. By 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 24, he arrived at the site, only to find years of investment reduced to rubble. Visibly shaken, he addressed the press amid attempts by unidentified individuals to stifle media coverage.
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The demolition was reportedly carried out based on a court order secured by one Deborah Olorunlogbon, who filed a case claiming ownership of the property. Shockingly, her suit listed the defendant as an “unknown person.”
“How do you sue an unknown person over a property with valid ownership documents and a Certificate of Occupancy?” Obi asked. “Can you see the rascality in this country? They sued a ghost and used that judgment to destroy a legitimate business.”
The Next Foods Limited’s legal counsel in a statement said that Barrister Emeka Okpoko, the company only learned of the case on Friday, June 20 just days before the demolition.
They swiftly filed applications for joinder and injunction, submitting extensive documentation including a Deed of Assignment, Certificate of Occupancy, and proof of the property’s N280 million purchase in 2011.
“They never served us,” Okpoko said. “They claimed to have pasted a court notice and removed it shortly after to fabricate proof of service. We are now in court, fighting not only for justice, but to uphold the rule of law in Nigeria.”
In a bizarre twist, the property’s longtime security guard, Babagana Abubakiri who has served faithfully since 2011 was accused of “forcible entry” by the police on June 20, despite merely continuing his duty.
For Peter Obi, the matter transcends his family. “This is about the soul of our country,” he declared. “If law-abiding citizens with valid documents can be dispossessed like this, then no Nigerian is safe.”
He called on the judiciary, police, civil society, and all defenders of justice to rise against what he termed a “creeping tyranny.”
“We cannot build a nation on impunity,” Obi said. “If this can happen to my brother, what happens to the voiceless? This is not about politics, it’s about fairness, decency, and the sanctity of the law.”
He also questioned Nigeria’s readiness to attract investment. “How do we encourage foreign investors when even local investors are treated this way?”
The family has vowed to pursue all legal channels to seek redress and accountability. But as the ruins remain at 57 Oduduwa Crescent, one fact is clear: this was not just the demolition of a building, it was a direct assault on trust, justice, and the hope for a secure Nigeria.
