Land buyers in Oyo State have been cautioned against acquiring property without engaging qualified surveyors, as failure to conduct proper verification continues to expose many to land grabbing and financial losses.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Oyo State branch, Alhaji Waheed Lamidi, issued the warning while speaking with journalists in Ibadan, describing land grabbing as a growing social menace in the state and across the country.
Lamidi said many intending landowners fall victim to fraudulent transactions due to anxiety and failure to verify the authenticity and status of land before purchase. According to him, engaging professional surveyors remains the most reliable safeguard against encroachment, litigation and eventual loss of investment.
“Failure to consult professional surveyors is a pointer to running into the nets of land grabbers,” he said, stressing that due diligence must precede any land transaction.
The surveyor specifically referenced the ongoing 110-kilometre Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road project, which cuts across six local government areas — Egbeda, Ona-Ara, Lagelu, Oluyole, Akinyele and Ido — noting that several affected property owners were victims of improper land documentation or acquisition from questionable sources.
While commending the state government’s developmental vision on the Ibadan Circular Road, Lamidi urged authorities to ensure adequate compensation for genuinely affected residents who possess valid documents.
“The Lagos-Ibadan Road was opened in 1976. Then, only the Agugu area was developed. Today, the corridor has expanded significantly. It was a good plan by the government. The Ibadan Circular Road is also a good plan, but affected residents with genuine documents should be duly compensated,” he said.
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He explained that the 1978 Land Use Act empowers state governments to oversee land administration, but added that landowners whose property was revoked for public use could seek redress in court if, after 10 years, the purpose for which it was acquired had been altered.
Lamidi also called on the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde to make public details of the Ibadan Circular Road acquisition process to boost public confidence and reduce speculation.
He warned prospective buyers against acquiring land from aggrieved families or unregistered practitioners, noting that such shortcuts often lead to prolonged disputes and financial ruin.
“Look at the Ilorin-Ibadan Road acquired in 1972. Many people later built on the mapped corridor because they failed to verify. Only those who engaged professional surveyors were saved from loss. They conducted proper consultation, regardless of the cost. We must learn from this,” he said.
The NIS chairman urged landowners and intending buyers to obtain survey plans, building approvals, and other statutory documents to formalise ownership, protect themselves from land grabbers, and secure eligibility for compensation in the event of government acquisition.
He added that land grabbing may persist unless stronger legislation and enforcement mechanisms are introduced to deter fraudulent practices in the property market.
Lamidi maintained that professional survey consultation should not be viewed as an optional expense but as a critical investment in safeguarding property rights and preventing avoidable financial losses.
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