The Federal Government has appealed to the public, particularly Lagos State residents to always verify all lands with state and Federal Government agencies before purchase, in order not to fall victim to land grabbers.

The apex government also appealed to the media to embark on mass awareness campaign against land grabbers in Lagos State.

The Federal Controller of Housing in Lagos State, Mrs Margaret Adejobi, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday.

Adejobi said that the land grabbers deliberately encroached and sold-off gazetted Federal Government lands in Lagos state.

She said an earlier media publication saved several prospective buyers of land from the fraudulent land grabbers, who now use fake litigation orders to deceive the public.

Adejobi cited an example of people who came to the Federal Ministry of Housing to verify documents because the media gave them the right and timely information to protect their investments.

“I appeal to the media, to continue to educate the public. The problem of land grabbers in Lagos is overwhelming.

”Everyday, I receive court summons, every day I receive petitions, even learned people fall victims to these land grabbers.

“We appeal to the citizens that anybody who wants to buy land should do a search, this money is not easy to come by. They can go to the Surveyor General’s Office in Alausa, or our office here at the Tafawa Balewa Square and check,’’ she said.

Adejobi said that the land grabbers usually ignored compensations paid to their fathers and still deliberately encroach on gazetted government acquisitions, fraudulently selling same land to multiple buyers.

She said several people don’t know the difference between acquired and free land and appealed to the media not to relent in its efforts of protecting investments.

“Media, please let the public know that it does not cost them a single kobo to do a search on lands,” she said.

Speaking on Federal Government buildings in Lagos, Adejobi said all had been allocated, adding that, the ones that appeared abandoned were subjects of ongoing litigations on them.

The controller said a Presidential Implementation Committee had sold off nearly all Federal Government buildings in Lagos State.

(NAN)