Edo Govt Speaks On Viral Report Of Selling 14,000 Hectares Of Land To 17-Year-Old Boy
The Edo State Government has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that a 17-year-old boy purchased 14,000 hectares of land in the state.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Director of Press, Edo Geographic Information Service (Edo GIS), Mr. Tunde Egbiremonlen, the agency described the viral claim as false, mischievous, and an attempt to mislead the public.
According to the statement, no such transaction exists in the records of the Edo GIS. Egbiremonlen explained that, under Edo law, a 17-year-old is legally a minor and therefore ineligible to register or own land in the state.
“In the first place, a 17-year-old cannot apply for registration of land in Edo State because he is a minor; the Edo GIS system will automatically reject the application,” Egbiremonlen stated.
He further noted that the peddlers of the false report failed to specify the location of the alleged 14,000 hectares, describing their claims as “deliberately concocted to create confusion and discredit the government’s land administration reforms.”
Edo GIS urged members of the public to disregard the viral report, warning that individuals behind the misinformation had allegedly spent large sums of money to circulate the fake story.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability in land management, noting that Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration had recently embarked on wide-ranging reforms, including the revocation of a contract with a private firm that previously managed the state’s Certificate of Occupancy software.
“The Edo State Government remains committed to sanitising the land administration process and will not be distracted by falsehoods spread by those who benefit from disorder,” the statement added.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
