The Imeobi Igbo Forum (IIF) has dismissed allegations by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) that northerners are barred from acquiring land in Nigeria’s Southeast, labeling the claims as “baseless and inflammatory.” The rebuttal follows remarks by ACF Board of Trustees Chairman Alhaji Dalhatu, who asserted that northerners cannot own “even a square foot” in the region.
In a statement, IIF National Chairman Chief Chukwukpezie Ikegulu clarified that Igbos welcome lawful land transactions but resist violent encroachment by criminal herders involved in killings, kidnappings, and farmland destruction. “No genuine northerner seeking land for residential or business purposes has ever been denied,” Ikegulu stated, challenging the ACF to provide evidence of such discrimination.
He explained that land allocation in the Southeast operates on competitive market principles, with ownership typically held by individuals or families rather than traditional rulers. “Land is granted via lease or freehold, often through bidding. Those unfamiliar with this system may misinterpret it as exclusion,” he noted, emphasizing that Igbos themselves navigate similar processes nationwide when acquiring property.
Ikegulu criticized the ACF’s narrative as hypocritical, given the Igbo community’s reputation for integration and enterprise across Nigeria. “We adhere to the principle ‘where one lives, one protects,’ opposing only criminals hiding in forests, not lawful residents,” he said.
The IIF warned that Dalhatu’s remarks risked stoking ethnic tensions amid Nigeria’s security and economic crises, urging leaders to avoid divisive rhetoric. “Such statements endanger national unity. Our focus should be on collective solutions, not unfounded accusations,” Ikegulu concluded, advocating dialogue over confrontation in addressing land disputes.
