A Benin based lawyer and human rights activist, Dele Igbinedion, Tuesday faulted the Land Use Act which domiciled all lands on states governors.
He said though the law specified that the lands would be held in trust for the benefits of residents, “yet governors are approaching land issues like real owners.”
He stated that many individual lands have been revoked under the pretense of using same for the benefits of the state.
Igbinedion stated this at a 2021 annual lecture organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo state council.
The lecture was titled: “Menace of Land Grabbing and The Threat to Public Peace.”
While noting that land grabbing has sent many genuine property owners to early grave and stunt development, the activist pointed out that “the real culprit of land grabbing is the government.”
He called for the overhaul of the State Private Property Agency (PPA) to give way for none card-carrying members of political parties.
On his part, the special adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media Projects, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the governor do not own any property in Edo state.
Crusoe said: “If he (governor) acquire or support organisation’s land acquisition, it is aimed at boosting employment, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and economic benefits.
“Moreso, the government negotiated with real land owners of specific interest and benefits for the state,” Crusoe stated.
