Mokwe alleged that his arrest and prolonged detention were ordered by Peter Obi.

A former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who on Tuesday criticised what he described as Nigeria’s slide into lawlessness under President Bola Tinubu — following the alleged illegal demolition of a company property belonging to his younger brother in Ikeja, Lagos — has been accused of similar actions during his time as governor of Anambra State.

SaharaReporters recalls that in 2013, Obi personally supervised the demolition of Upper Class Hotel, a three-storey building located at 8 Old Market Road, Onitsha. 

The hotel was owned by Mr. Bonaventure Mokwe, who later accused the former governor of taking rash actions and making incendiary comments following public protests against the demolition.

Another Nigerian tweep, identified only as

Kambbi, queried the former governor on Wednesday, saying, "Peter Obi, can you remember when you bragged that there'd be ZERO compensation for buildings you demolished when you were governor?"

Mokwe had alleged that he was arrested and tortured by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on Obi’s orders and was held in custody for three months without being charged to court. 

He claimed that the hotel was demolished based on unverified allegations linking him to kidnapping activities, an accusation he strongly denies.

Meanwhile, in 2020, the Anambra State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, Extra-Judicial Killings, and Other Related Matters iinvited Obi to testify regarding his role during the #EndSARS protests that swept the nation.

Justice Veronica Umeh, chairperson of the panel, announced the invitation, while responding to a petition submitted by Mr. Bonaventure Mokwe. 

Mokwe accused the former governor of making rash decisions and incendiary remarks in the aftermath of the protests.

In a five-page petition, Mokwe also demanded a public apology from the state government for branding him a kidnapper and detaining him in the custody of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) for 81 days without trial.

During his testimony, Mokwe alleged that his arrest and prolonged detention were ordered by Peter Obi.

 He claimed he was held for three months without being charged in court and witnessed numerous gruesome killings by SARS operatives while in custody.

Bonaventure Mokwe, the owner of the demolished Upper Class Hotel in Onitsha, alleged that the former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, orchestrated a vendetta against him that led to the destruction of his hotel.

According to Mokwe, his ordeal began after a guest who had lodged in one of the hotel rooms was arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). During a search, human skulls were reportedly discovered in the room. Mokwe insists the entire incident was staged.

"Someone checked into Room 102 of my hotel. The next morning, SARS operatives arrived and claimed they found human skulls in the room. But they never asked for the identity of the guest or investigated how the skulls got there. They came only to ‘discover’ the planted evidence and proceed with the demolition," he said.

He claimed the action was politically motivated, stemming from a dispute involving the control of motor parks in Onitsha. 

"Peter Obi converted Ose Motor Park to Onitsha Park and handed its revenue collection to people from Onitsha. My own park, Mokwe Park, is located nearby. When transporters began to complain about high fees at Ose Park, many of them moved to my park. That didn’t sit well with the Onitsha faction, and just two weeks later, the skulls were allegedly planted in my hotel."

Mokwe further alleged that the demolition, which took place on the same day of the skull discovery, was premeditated. 

"My hotel, built in 1973, was brought down without any investigation. I have evidence that payment for the bulldozer used in the demolition was made two days before the incident. How did they know what they would find if it wasn’t staged?"

He also blamed the then SARS commander, James Nwafor, for enabling extrajudicial activities. 

"James Nwafor didn’t come from Ebonyi State to start killing people on his own. There were people in power who empowered him — and we are ready to expose them," Mokwe added.

Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that the former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, condemned what he described as Nigeria’s slide into lawlessness under President Bola Tinubu, following the alleged illegal demolition of a company property belonging to his younger brother in Ikeja, Lagos State.

In a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, Obi expressed outrage over the incident, which he said reflects a broader pattern of impunity and disregard for the rule of law in the country.

He said that the whole situation screamed of coordinated lawlessness and impunity, warning that such actions threaten the nation’s economic future and social stability.

He lamented Nigeria’s worsening human rights record, citing recent reports that highlight deteriorating civil liberties, personal safety, and institutional protections.

According to the former governor, any society where lawlessness overrides the rule of law is not destined to be a haven for investors.

Obi stated that the government’s failure to uphold civil rights and ensure basic legal protections is sending a dangerous message both to Nigerians and the international community. 

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