Imo Government Begins Recovery Of Illegally Acquired Lands, Warns Of Demolition

Imo Government Begins Recovery of Illegally Acquired Lands, Warns of Demolition The Imo State Government has commenced the process of recovering state-owned lands allegedly acquired illegally by individuals in different parts of the state, warning that all unauthorized structures on such properties will be demolished while offenders face prosecution. The government disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Monitoring and Compliance, Nze Chinasa Nwaneri. According to the statement, the exercise follows earlier public notices and warnings issued to individuals occupying or laying claim to government-owned lands without lawful authorization.

Nwaneri said the recovery exercise is aimed at protecting public assets, restoring order in land administration, and safeguarding the interests of law-abiding residents across the state. He listed the affected areas to include Redemption Estates 1, 2, 3 and 4 belonging to the Imo Housing Corporation, Area P in New Owerri, Area T, Area K in Alaoma Layout, Paradise Layout in Ottamiri North, Ottamiri South, Naze Industrial Layout, Ogbaku Estate Layout, as well as other government layouts across the state. The government warned that enforcement would begin immediately, stressing that fences, partitions, and other structures erected illegally on government lands would be removed without further notice. It also vowed to prosecute individuals involved in the illegal allocation, sale, or forgery of land documents used to facilitate unauthorized occupation of public property. According to the statement, the recovery exercise is part of the state’s constitutional responsibility to protect public property and ensure proper land administration. Residents, prospective land buyers, and property developers were advised to verify the authenticity of land titles with the appropriate government agencies before entering into any land transactions to avoid legal complications. The Imo State Government reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing the law and ensuring that all government owned lands are protected from illegal acquisition and encroachment.