Ekiti raises unit to tackle land grabbers

The Ekiti State Government has set up a Landed Properties Transaction Complaints Unit to receive petitions from aggrieved victims of land grabbing and other related offences.

The move, which the state government made through the Ministry of Justice, is to give more bite to the Ekiti State Property Protection (Anti-Land Grabbing) Bill signed into law by Governor Kayode Fayemi on June 4, 2019.

The law, which prohibits illegal occupation of landed property, also criminalises fraudulent transactions in relation to landed property in the state among others.

According to a circular signed by the Solicitor General/Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Babatope Ojo, “the unit is set up to receive formal complaints from the victims of unlawful sale of land and illegal occupation of land and other matters connected wherewith.”

The circular stated that the Ministry of Justice had been inundated with complaints of unwholesome practices in transactions relating to sale of landed properties since the enactment of the law.

It stated, “In response to these complaints, the Honour able Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice has set up the Landed Properties Transaction Complaints Unit to receive complaints from aggrieved persons who have been victims of unlawful sale of land, illegal occupation of land and related matters.”

Credit: Punch