ABUJA, July 19, 2025 A seismic shift is unfolding in Nigeria’s land fraud saga: civil society agitator Maxwell Chibuike Okpara, 79-year-old Colleen Mero Yesufu, and the Yesufu family have launched a smear crusade that is unraveling under the weight of facts. Once presented as defenders of justice, they are now under fire for manipulating public institutions, deploying emotion in place of evidence, and undermining the legal process for personal gain.
Legal experts and concerned Nigerians are questioning whether Okpara was hired by the Yesufu family specifically to conduct unethical public campaigns on their behalf. Despite holding no legal brief in either the criminal or civil proceedings, Okpara has positioned himself as a spokesperson for the family. He has given press conferences calling for enforcement of a forfeiture order — a forfeiture that had already been dismissed by the courts and withdrawn by the EFCC. For a lawyer of his standing to either be unaware of this or to knowingly mislead the public raises serious professional concerns.
Observers now ask: What is Maxwell Okpara’s real interest in this matter? He is not a lawyer on record. He has no place in either proceeding. Yet he has aggressively inserted himself into an ongoing legal dispute — disregarding due process, court rulings, and ethical boundaries. Many in the legal community are stunned that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has not sanctioned him. His repeated public outbursts, defamatory remarks about law enforcement, and misuse of civil society platforms suggest a pattern of conduct that risks embarrassing the entire legal profession.
Some have gone further, calling him a legal tout and political scoundrel — hired to “undo” a case that is already before the courts. If Okpara truly believes in the rule of law, then he should submit to it, not defy it in public squares. His conduct begs the question: Why has he not been arrested by the Nigerian police for openly defaming the Inspector General and fabricating claims? Civil society groups are free to advocate for transparency, but they must present facts — not fiction — and not act as mercenaries for private interests.
Civic Group Demands Justice — Or Else
At a thunderous press briefing Thursday, Okpara—frontman for INAHURAT—accused the EFCC and Nigerian police of deliberately stalling enforcement of a Federal High Court interim forfeiture order for Guzape Plot 4022 and Katampe Plots 1861–63, originally tied to 79-year-old widow Colleen Mero Yesufu. These allegations are contained in a Daily Post exposé that has rocked institutional trust.
(TheNigeriaLawyer, Daily Post Nigeria)
Meanwhile, civil liberty watchdogs observe that Maxwell Okpara and the Yesufu clan could be using political muscle, not evidence, to pressure enforcement agencies. Their relentless accusations—launched precisely when the courts have become inconvenient—raise more questions than answers.
The Tide Turns in Public Opinion
Nigeria’s silent majority is now tuning in to the argument of power over principle. As observers quietly ask: If Okpara and the Yesufu family were so confident in their claims, why are they now crying foul when the EFCC stalls enforcement?—onlookers see a pattern suggesting they want results, fast, regardless of facts.
Meanwhile, Dr Rebecca Omokamo Godwin-Isaac and her husband Isaac Yusuf stand firmly on documented transactions: verified payments, registered titles, and full cooperation with the ICPC, FCTA, EFCC, and police. Yet, their company Homadil Realty was hit hardest—projects frozen, reputations tarnished, and media trials launched on allegations now under scrutiny.
(Premium Times Nigeria)
Civil‐Liberty Groups Challenge EFCC Motives
Independent rights monitors are now questioning whether the EFCC bowed to public pressure or was manoeuvred by political narratives. CHRICED, another respected watchdog, has publicly expressed alarm over “police complicity” in shielding suspect parties and the EFCC’s refusal to act on court-ordered forfeiture — a forfeiture which, notably, has already been dismissed by the court and withdrawn by the EFCC, raising even more questions about the accuracy of their ongoing advocacy.
(CHRICED)
In a headline moment, one prominent civic leader told reporters, “The true victim in this case may be the rule of law itself.” Critics argue that the EFCC faces a critical test: enforce the law impartially, or risk becoming a vessel for manipulation.
From Victim to Victor:
For Ambassador Rebecca Omokamo Godwin-Isaac, her husband Engineer Isaac Ishaku Yusuf, and Homadil Realty Limited, this delay in the EFCC’s case isn’t just procedural — it’s vindication. Having pledged full transparency, submitted to questioning, and honoured every court order, they’ve stood as pillars of honesty. The moment Maxwell Okpara’s INAHURAT and the Yesufu family began demanding action, the minute justice seemed inconvenient, public trust cracked.
What’s Next?
The spotlight now turns to the judiciary and anti-graft bodies. The public must now ask: Why is the EFCC being pressured to enforce a forfeiture order that has already been dismissed by the court and withdrawn by the Commission itself? Will the police, who have been accused of complicity, be swayed by political pressure rather than guided by the facts and legal rulings? And will Maxwell Okpara, Colleen Mero, and kin answer hard questions about the timing and basis of their campaign?
One thing is clear: public sympathy is turning sharply toward Ambassador Rebecca Omokamo Godwin-Isaac, her husband Engineer Isaac Ishaku Yusuf,Homadil Realty Limited, seen now as the wrongfully accused who followed the law.
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Bottom Line
•Maxwell Okpara and the Yesufu family appear to be weaponizing emotion and influence, not judicial proof.
•Their camp’s sudden pivot from aggressive accusations to calling out the EFCC signals alarm—not integrity.
•Meanwhile, Ambassador Rebecca Omokamo Godwin-Isaac, her husband Engineer Isaac Ishaku Yusuf, and their company Homadil Realty Limited, once under siege, are now poised to emerge vindicated, their case strengthened by patience and process.
The real question now: Will Nigeria’s legal guardians uphold the law or be swayed by political drama?
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