Obi’s brother heads to court over demolition of property
Lagos State Government has denied allegations by a former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, that it was responsible for the demolition of a property allegedly owned by his brother in Lagos.

This was according to a statement by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, yesterday.

Omotoso, while addressing the allegation, said that neither the Lagos State Building Control Agency, nor any other agency within the state government, was responsible for the demolition.

The commissioner, who noted that clarification had been sought from the supervising authority, and the agency in question had denied any involvement, further stated: “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 Peter Obi would make such allegations without verifying the facts.”

The statement, while reaffirming government’s commitment to legality and accountability, emphasised the state’s zero tolerance for unlawful actions, stating: “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 act of lawlessness or violation of extant laws. Any individual or group found involved in such acts will be brought to justice.”

Omotoso, therefore, urged the public to disregard Obi’s comments, stating that the state would not be distracted by unfounded claims.

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

MEANWHILE, the majority shareholder of Next Foods Ltd, Ndibe Obi, who is the younger brother of Peter Obi, has headed to court to challenge the demolition of his property.

Counsel to the firm, Emeka Okpoko (SAN), said in Awka, yesterday, that the court processes had already begun.

Okpoko said he could not blame the judge that delivered the case on 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.

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.”