How Omonile Scams Work in Lagos and How to Avoid Them

Yoruba people say “omonile,” which literally means the child of the landowner. Omonile is supposed to just be a child, but sadly, that phrase has been associated greatly with negativity. Today, hearing omonile people imagine or assume force, violence, intimidation, etc. This is why it’s important you know how most omonile scams work in Lagos.

In the southwestern part of Nigeria, especially Lagos, there is a big issue. The omonile usually act like land grabbers, using force, all forms of violence, and intimidation to extort money and belongings from people.

Encountering them is one of the experiences no real estate investor would want to have.

This article will explain how the omonile scams work in Lagos and how to avoid them.

How Do Omonile Scams Work in Lagos?

These scams have been in existence for years now. It is typically a situation where people have their resources or properties illegally taken from them.

The omonile scams in Lagos can happen in different forms and can be very complex. The omonile usually comes to make false claims. Sometimes they may claim that the property isn’t for sale. They can claim that you transacted with the wrong person; therefore, the transaction is a fraud.

Or they can also come up with illegal fees and insist that you must pay them. They usually use force, intimidation, threats, and other violent means.

Below are the things you must do before and during a real estate transaction.

Involve a Property Lawyer

When you want to buy a property in Lagos, especially from a family, it is important you involve a property lawyer.

When buying a property from a family, there is most often a child of the landowner. Involving a property lawyer is the first step in the right direction.

The property lawyer you involved in this transaction is going to be the middleman between you and the property owners. They better understand how to approach them and the things to say and go out for.

Also Read:

Get a Surveyor

You want to ensure that the land is what the owners claim it to be. A surveyor would use their surveying device called a global positioning system (GPS) to gather the coordinates of the land.

This activity is essential and would be handy when verifying the land documents.

Don’t rely on what you were told about the land; rather, take extra actions to protect yourself and your interests.

The land can be tampered with, and if you don’t have the land measured, you may not notice. Getting a land surveyor to remeasure the land and ensure it tallies with theirs is a way to prevent trespassing.

Let the Property Lawyer Negotiate for You

You must not negotiate with the property owners. Every negotiation should go through your property lawyer.

A property lawyer knows the right questions to ask and how to approach the negotiation for maximum benefit.

When the negotiation goes through a lawyer, the landowner will thread more with caution. This is because they understand there will be consequences if they aren’t careful.

Get the Documents Verified by the Property Lawyer

There are important documents that you must be given, such as the land title document, which can be the certificate of occupancy from the land registry, the building approval if there is a structure on the land, etc.

These documents should be verified with the appropriate agencies, such as the state land registry. A property lawyer would verify the authenticity of the provided documents.

Documents can be tampered with, and you may not be able to see them, but a property lawyer will be able to fish them out.

Additional Tips That Can Help You Avoid Omonile Scams in Lagos

We have discussed some of the key steps you should take to avoid omonile scams in Lagos. Here are the additional tips. Though these tips are not about legal standings, they can help you immensely.

Do Not Ever Go Alone

It is always beneficial to involve other parties when buying land, especially in Lagos. You need another witness aside from your lawyer.

Involve a friend or family member you trust to go with you to every meeting. This is important in order to avoid oversight. Every detail should be paid attention to, and involving more people who mean well to you makes it better.

Always Record Every Conversation

Don’t say, “I feel comfortable with them,” and forget to gather any evidence you can. When doing business, your emotions should be at rest. Business done based on emotions would likely turn out a bad or not-so-good business.

When you play with emotion, your chances of making a mistake are high, and you should make avoidable mistakes.

So, when transacting with Omonile, always record the conversations and take pictures when possible.

You shouldn’t let the property owners know that you are keeping records. They should be ignorant of it so they won’t have the chance to restrategize if they have ulterior motives.

Be Careful Who You Transact With

Not everyone you meet or who claims to be part of the property owners you should transact with. Be careful so you don’t end up transacting with the wrong person.

Some people claim to be what they are not. They can claim to have inherited the property or are the ones with the right to sell the property.

This is why you must check the person’s background before proceeding. Verify if they are part of the family. If they claim to have inherited or have the right to sell the property, verify the claim.

To verify, you should meet the community leaders to ask questions. Also engage the locals, such as the property neighbours.

These groups can give you the right and more authentic information about the ownership rights and history of the property.

Therefore, always verify that a person is genuine and is the right person before proceeding with investment processes.

Also Read:

Conclusion

Dealing with the troubles of omonile in Lagos is exhausting and should be prevented from happening. The omonile are not out for a good course but to swindle you of your belongings.

They don’t mind playing it dirty in any form to achieve their goal. Their goals are either extorting your hard-earned money or having you lose your property to them.

Sometimes people fall victim to these scams for two reasons: either because they thought they were smart and didn’t follow the due process or they were clearly ignorant.

Whatever the reason is, you don’t want to fall victim. Knowledge is power, but the power is felt when the knowledge is applied. We have discussed and learned what Omonile scams are and the ways you can avoid falling victim. I encourage you to always seek the right counsel for your real estate business.

Do you desire to buy land in Epe, Ibeju-Lekki or Enugu, send a WhatsApp message to +2348134794494