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‘We don’t consider IPOB as a terrorist Organisation’ – US Government
The United States Government has said it does not consider the Indigenous People of Biafra a terrorist organisation.
Last week, the Federal High Court in Abuja gave a judicial backing the executive order of President Muhammadu Buhari, outlawing the group and its activities in the country.
The court granted the order to proscribe the group on Wednesday.
It declared that the activities of the group constituted acts of terrorism.
The Federal Government also accused France and the United Kingdom of aiding IPOB activities.
The spokesman for the American Embassy in Nigeria, Russell Brooks, told SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday that the US government does not view IPOB as a terrorist group.
He said this in response to our correspondent’s email which asked if the United States sees IPOB as a terrorist organisation.
Brooks stated further that the US was committed to Nigeria’s unity and would support a peaceful resolution of any crisis in the country.
He said, “The United States Government is strongly committed to Nigeria’s unity. Important political and economic issues affecting the Nigerian people, such as the allocation of resources, are worthwhile topics for respectful debate in a democracy.
“Within the context of unity, we encourage all Nigerians to support a de-escalation of tensions and peaceful resolution of grievances. The Indigenous People of Biafra is not a terrorist organisation under US law.”
The US embassy, however, declined to comment on whether the Federal Government had asked it to treat IPOB as a terrorist organisation and to block money sent to IPOB from the US.
Brooks also did not state the US’ position on the agitation for a Biafran state.
Speaking after the court judgment last week, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, said the Federal Government would proceed to gazette the order proscribing the group.
IPOB claims ownership of Radio Biafra
Meanwhile, IPOB in a statement on Saturday said that the Radio Biafra which is said to be based outside the country neither belonged to MASSOB nor its leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike.
IPOB, in a statement made available to one of our correspondents in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, explained that though MASSOB assisted in funding the radio station, the arrangement only lasted from April to July 2009.
The statement, signed by the Deputy Leader of IPOB, who is also the Deputy Director of Radio Biafra, Uche Mefor, noted that the station later went off-air and eventually shut down in December 2009.
It insisted that MASSOB, which has since transformed into Biafra Independence Movement, had nothing to do with Radio Biafra.
The statement added, “The entire humanity is hereby notified that MASSOB is not the owner of Radio Biafra. Uwazuruike is not the owner of Radio Biafra.
“Radio Biafra first operated as ‘Broadcasting Corporation of Biafra’ in the 1960s in the face of genocidal war of extermination propagated by the northern Nigerian military dictators who spearheaded their jihadism against the Biafrans.”
Also, MASSOB on Saturday called on the Federal Government to immediately release its members who were labelled supporters of IPOB, arrested and detained by security agents.
MASSOB said eight of its members were arrested by security agents on September 13, 2017, while they were on their way to Onitsha, Anambra State, to celebrate the group’s 18th anniversary.
Its National Director of Information, Mr. Sunday Okereafor, told SUNDAY PUNCH that security agencies should have known the difference between IPOB members and MASSOB followers.
Okereafor alleged that the MASSOB members were detained in Afara Prison in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
He added that his group had since its existence embraced non-violence as its method of agitation and wondered why police and soldiers would contemplate arresting and detaining them.
He listed the names of five of the eight arrested MASSOB members as Igwe Ndukwe, Onyebuchi Nmeregini, I. Ugonna, ThankGod Udeh and Ugwu Emeka.
He said, “We are calling on the Attorney General of the Federation and the Attorney General of Abia State to release them. They should leave MASSOB alone because MASSOB is not violent. Those arrested are not IPOB members. They are MASSOB members.’’
Army arrests 34 hoodlums, recovers 12 guns in S’East
The Nigerian Army said on Saturday that 34 suspected cult members, kidnappers and hoodlums had been arrested in the ongoing Operation Python Dance II during some raids carried out by troops.
The army noted that seven locally made pistols and five Dane guns were also recovered from the suspects.
SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that while 17 suspects were arrested in Obinze community in Imo State, seven were arrested in the Ukukwa North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Also, 10 suspected cult members were arrested during two operations on Awara and Assa communities in the Ohaji-Egbema LGA of Imo State.
The army added that another group of three kidnap suspects – identified as Arinze Ugiri, 39, Okezie Nwobolo, 30, and Michael Sunday, 24 – were arrested from a hideout in Abia State.
The suspects were reportedly handed over to the police after the initial questioning.
The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, and 82 Division spokesman, Colonel Sagir Musa, who confirmed the arrests in a release, said the “outlawed IPOB members and their sympathisers” were also checkmated from extorting money from traders and motorists in Aba, Abia State.
Is It Safe to Invest in Lagos Real Estate? Here’s What You Must Know by Dennis Isong
In 2018, Chinedu bought a plot of land in Ibeju-Lekki for ₦600,000. At the time, his friends laughed. “Na bush you go buy?” they teased. Even Chinedu had doubts, especially after struggling to locate the land twice. But he had a gut feeling and decided to take the risk.
Fast forward to 2024, Chinedu got a call from a developer building around the Lekki Free Trade Zone. They were interested in acquiring his plot. The offer? ₦8.5 million. He thought it was a joke—until the cheque cleared.
“I almost sold that land two years ago for ₦1.2 million because I was broke,” he told me, shaking his head with a smile. “But something told me to wait.”
Today, that same bush has a tarred road, power poles, and new buildings sprouting like mushrooms. The value keeps rising, and Chinedu is already scouting for his next plot—this time in Epe.
His only regret?
“I wish I bought three plots instead of one.”
That’s Lagos real estate for you. It looks like nothing at first—but if you play your cards right, it could be the best decision of your life.
Let’s not beat around the bush—Lagos real estate is hot cake. Everyone seems to be talking about it, whispering about one land deal in Epe or a smart investment in Ibeju-Lekki. The conversations are endless, and so are the questions. But the one that keeps bouncing from one corner of the room to another is this:
Is it really safe to invest in Lagos real estate?
Well, short answer? Yes.
But let’s not stop at “yes.” This is Lagos. Nothing is ever that simple. Before you pull out your wallet or empty your savings app, you need to know a few things that the billboards won’t tell you.
First, Why Is Everyone Rushing to Invest in Lagos Real Estate?
If Lagos were a person, it would be that loud, fast-talking cousin who always seems to have money flowing from one hustle or the other. Lagos is not just a city—it’s a mood, a movement, a madness that somehow makes financial sense.
It’s the commercial heartbeat of Nigeria. And where the heart beats, money flows.
From tech bros in Yaba to deep-pocket oil boys in Lekki, everyone is looking for where to park their money, and land is the new bank. Real estate in Lagos has become the golden goose for the smart investor. And why not? Land here doesn’t sleep—it appreciates, sometimes with the arrogance of a billionaire who knows he can’t fail.
But Wait—Is It Safe?
Now, this is where it gets interesting. Lagos isn’t Disneyland. It’s not all shiny buildings and smiling agents. The truth is, there are landmines in the system—some figurative, some legal, and some spiritual (ask anyone who’s ever mistakenly bought “Omonile land”).
Yet, thousands of people are making solid money from it. Some have even become landlords from buying land they never visited. How is this possible?
It all comes down to how you invest, where you invest, and who you’re dealing with.
The Shaky Past, The Bright Future
Let’s be honest: Lagos has had its fair share of land drama. The tales are plenty—fake documents, family land disputes, sudden demolitions. These stories are scary, yes, but they’re not the full picture.
Over the years, the Lagos real estate sector has matured, especially with government regulations, better documentation processes, and real estate firms who are finally doing things the right way. This is not 1997 when you could buy land and discover later that the “agent” was actually a carpenter with a borrowed suit.
Today, with a bit of caution and proper due diligence, you can invest in Lagos real estate and sleep well at night—like a baby who just signed a deed of assignment.
Lagos Is Expanding—And That’s a Clue
One thing that gives Lagos real estate its strong appeal is urban sprawl. The Lagos of today is not the Lagos of 10 years ago. Places like Sangotedo, Epe, and Ibeju-Lekki used to be jokes in property circles. Now? They’re punchlines of profit.
The Dangote Refinery, Lekki Deep Sea Port, and Lekki Free Trade Zone are not just projects—they’re magnets. Land prices in these areas are not sitting still. They’re running marathons. If you blink, the same land you ignored in 2022 could be worth double in 2025.
So yes, investing in Lagos real estate now may look like buying “bush,” but you know what they say—today’s bush is tomorrow’s Banana Island.
Let’s Talk About Risk (Because You Should Know)
Is there risk? Of course. This is Nigeria. There’s risk in crossing the road. But guess what? Risk is also where the money hides.
The key to safe investment is not avoiding Lagos real estate—it’s knowing the game and playing it with sense. Don’t go in blindly. Don’t let “cheap” deceive you. And please, don’t collect land documents on the back of a recharge card.
Use registered surveyors. Work with legit companies. In fact, if the deal sounds like it fell from heaven, double-check that the land isn’t under water. Lagos doesn’t forgive carelessness.
So, Is It Worth It?
If you’re still asking that question, you haven’t met someone who bought land in Ibeju-Lekki at ₦500k five years ago and just sold it for ₦7 million.
You haven’t heard the story of the woman who bought three plots in Badagry when nobody was looking, and now developers are begging to buy just one for a small fortune.
The truth is, Lagos real estate is like plantain. It may look green today, but give it time—it will ripen beautifully.
Final Word (and A Small Nudge)
If you’re waiting for Lagos to be “perfect” before you invest, you might be waiting forever. Lagos is not perfect. It’s not even pretending to be. But guess what? Its imperfections are where the opportunities hide.
While you’re hesitating, others are buying. And while you’re analyzing, someone else is acquiring. At some point, you’ll look around and realize that the same land you ignored is now behind a gate with a ₦1,000,000 price tag just to inspect it.
So, is it safe to invest in Lagos real estate? Absolutely—if you do it wisely.
Ask questions. Partner with people who know what they’re doing. Don’t rush, but don’t wait forever.
And if you need a guide, someone to help you navigate this crazy but profitable world of Lagos property, you already know who to call.
Yes, it’s me—Dennis Isong, your Lagos Realtor Extraordinaire.
STOP LOSING MONEY IN LAGOS REAL ESTATE!
Protect your investment with due diligence.
Visit: LandProperty.ng/free
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