BREAKING: Edo Govt Criminalises Land Grabbing, Prescribes 10-Year Jail Term

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has signed into law two landmark legislations: the Edo State Public Property Protection Law, 2025, and the Customary Court of Appeal (Re-establishment) Law, 2025.

The two new laws represent a bold step in the administration’s ongoing reforms to restore institutional discipline, promote transparency, and protect the collective patrimony of Edo people from encroachment, abuse, and illegal appropriation.

The Edo State Public Property Protection Law, 2025, establishes the Edo State Public Property Protection Committee, a statutory body mandated to oversee, safeguard, and recover all public properties belonging to the State. The law empowers the committee to prevent unauthorized occupation, vandalism, encroachment, alienation, or destruction of public assets.

Under the new law, the committee shall have the authority to identify, inspect, seal, and recover encroached public properties, investigate disputes, and collaborate with law enforcement agencies to ensure strict compliance. It also empowers the committee to initiate legal actions through the Ministry of Justice against any individual or entity found in contravention of the provisions of the law.

Governor Okpebholo emphasized that the new legal framework is a clear demonstration of his administration’s zero tolerance for corruption, impunity, and misuse of government property. “Public assets belong to the people of Edo State, not individuals. This law ensures that no one, no matter how highly placed, can appropriate public property for private gain,” he said.

The law prescribes stringent penalties for violations. Unauthorized sale or transfer of government property without the Governor’s consent now attracts a five-year prison term, while violent or forceful entry into state-owned property could lead to up to ten years’ imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offence.

Professionals who aid or abet illegal land transactions involving state property will also face sanctions, including prosecution and referral to their professional bodies for disciplinary action. Additionally, false petitions or fraudulent claims relating to government lands will attract severe penalties to deter abuse of process.

In the same legislative stride, the Edo State House of Assembly also passed, and the Governor assented to, the Customary Court of Appeal (Re-establishment) Law, 2025, effectively reconstituting the Edo State Customary Court of Appeal as a superior court of record in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The Court will exercise appellate and supervisory jurisdiction over civil proceedings involving questions of customary law, as well as original jurisdiction over chieftaincy and traditional stool matters within the State.

Under the new framework, the President of the Customary Court of Appeal will be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC), subject to confirmation by the Edo State House of Assembly. Six other judges will serve on the court, each required to possess not less than ten years of post-call experience and demonstrable expertise in customary law practice.

To guarantee judicial independence, the salaries and allowances of the President and Judges of the Customary Court of Appeal are to be charged directly on the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Edo State.

Governor Okpebholo described the re-establishment of the Customary Court of Appeal as “a reaffirmation of Edo’s commitment to accessible justice, respect for traditional values, and fidelity to the Constitution.” He noted that the move underscores his administration’s belief that a functional justice system is indispensable to good governance, stability, and investor confidence.

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, while commending the Governor for his foresight, said the laws mark “a new era in asset governance and judicial integrity,” adding that they will serve as “critical instruments for institutional renewal and the protection of Edo’s moral and material heritage.”