Edo Govt Dismisses Claim Of 17-Year-Old Buying 14,000 Hectares Of Land

The Edo State Government has debunked a viral social media report alleging that a 17-year-old boy purchased 14,000 hectares of land in the state, describing the claim as false, mischievous, and an attempt to mislead the public.

In a statement issued on Monday by the Director of Press, Edo Geographic Information Service (EdoGIS), Mr Tunde Egbiremonlen, the agency said there was no record of such a transaction within its system. He stressed that, under the state’s property laws, a 17-year-old is legally a minor and, therefore, ineligible to own or register land in Edo State.

“The Edo GIS system will automatically reject such applications due to age restrictions,” Egbiremonlen clarified. “In the first place, a 17-year-old cannot apply for land registration in Edo State because he is a minor. Our system is designed to flag and deny such entries.”

The clarification followed a trending post on social media alleging that Governor Monday Okpebholo had suspended the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy after the alleged land sale was uncovered.

Egbiremonlen dismissed the story as the handiwork of mischief-makers intent on sowing confusion among residents, adding that no credible evidence had been presented to support the claim.

“To compound the mischief, the rumour-peddlers could not even specify where in Edo State such 14,000 hectares were allegedly acquired by the minor,” he noted.

The EdoGIS further urged members of the public to disregard the misinformation and remain vigilant against fake news circulating online.

Governor Okpebholo’s administration has, in recent months, undertaken sweeping reforms in land administration across the state. This includes the termination of a contract with a private firm that previously managed the state’s Certificate of Occupancy software, a move the government said was aimed at restoring transparency and accountability in land allocation.