The majority shareholder of Next Foods Ltd, Mr. Ndibe Obi, younger brother of Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi is taking legal action following the demolition of the company’s property in Ikeja, Lagos.
EpeInsights reports that the company’s legal counsel, Chief Emeka Okpoko (SAN), while speaking from Awka on Thursday, confirmed that court proceedings have begun to challenge what he described as an unjustified demolition.
“We are applying to be joined as parties to the case and have also filed for the court’s permission to amend existing processes to include our client,” Okpoko stated.
“We have applied to set aside the judgment, filed for a stay of execution, and requested an injunction pending the hearing of the substantive suit.”
According to Okpoko, the disputed property was legally acquired in 2011, with the Lagos State Governor granting official consent in 2013.
He emphasized that there had never been any legal issues concerning the property until the recent events.
“The property belongs to Next Foods Ltd, where Mr. Ndibe Obi is the majority shareholder. The deed of assignment traces the property’s history back to the Western Nigeria era, when the land registry was based in Ibadan. The last recorded owners inherited the land intestate, but the chain of ownership is properly documented.”
Okpoko narrated how he was alerted last Friday when enforcement officers arrived to carry out what was reportedly a court-ordered execution.
“The security man on site informed me that they came without presenting any official documents at first. Eventually, he found a document, Form 41 which indicated a debt of just N5,700 and an order to recover goods and chattels.”
He explained that the original case, Deborah Olonwulogbo vs Unknown Persons, appeared questionable upon review.
“The judgment they relied on was based on an originating summons for possession, not title. According to the documents, the claimant alleged that squatters had taken over her property while she was away caring for her sick husband.”
Okpoko criticized the substituted service process, which he described as potentially manipulated. “It appears the notice was pasted in a location unlikely to be seen and possibly removed afterwards. The judge had no reason to suspect anything was amiss, as everything seemed properly filed.”
He also pointed out that the judgment was issued in 2024, but the demolition occurred in June 2025 — well outside the standard six-month enforcement window.
“We’ve now filed our own documents to prove rightful ownership,” he said. “We were never served with any court notice and had no knowledge of the case until the property was torn down.”
Adding to the legal tangle, Okpoko raised questions over conflicting Certificates of Occupancy (C of O). “They’re now presenting a federal C of O issued in 2021 by the Ministry of Works in Ikoyi, but our C of O dates back to 2011, with Lagos State Governor’s consent in 2013. Federal C of O shouldn’t apply to Ikeja GRA, which is under state jurisdiction and fully developed.”
He concluded by noting that the company has consistently met its legal and financial obligations to Lagos State, including regular filings of annual returns.
“We have the records and will present them as evidence in court,” he said.
Peter Obi
