Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has strongly condemned the ongoing demolition of private property across Nigeria, accusing federal and state governments of inflicting unnecessary hardship on already struggling citizens.
Obi, who made his position known in a post on his official X handle on Sunday, described the demolitions as “willful acts of destruction” that disregard due process and human compassion.
“I like to reiterate my strong condemnation of the willful destruction of people’s property and goods by governments at any level without notice. The recent demolition of citizens’ structures and the destruction of their goods and merchandise remain condemnable,” Obi wrote.
The former Anambra governor criticised the timing and execution of such actions, saying they reflect insensitivity from an administration whose policies have already plunged millions into poverty within 29 months.
“This is happening across the country at a time when the government is supposed to be lifting citizens out of poverty. Instead, it is plunging them deeper into hardship. These demolitions destroy livelihoods, undermine businesses, and threaten the economic security of hardworking citizens,” he said.
Obi questioned the legal and moral justification for demolishing privately owned properties — many containing goods worth billions of naira — without prior notice or due process.
He urged the authorities to show restraint and respect for the rule of law, warning that such arbitrary actions send a “chilling message” to investors and entrepreneurs that their years of labour could be wiped away overnight.
“If we fail to stand against such injustices, we risk undermining the very foundations of 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 added.
His comments follow a wave of demolitions across several states, including Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory, where property owners and traders have protested what they describe as “government-induced economic punishment.”
