In a statement issued on Monday, the Director of Press at the Edo Geographic Information Service (Edo GIS), Mr. Tunde Egbiremonlen, described the report as false, mischievous, and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public

By Titilope Adako

The Edo State Government has refuted social media reports claiming that a 17-year-old boy acquired 14,000 hectares of land in the state.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Director of Press at the Edo Geographic Information Service (Edo GIS), Mr. Tunde Egbiremonlen, described the report as false, mischievous, and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.

Egbiremonlen clarified that there is no record of such a transaction in the state’s land registry. He explained that, by law, a 17-year-old is a minor and therefore not eligible to own or register land in Edo State.

“In the first place, a 17-year-old cannot apply for registration of land in Edo State because he is a minor; the Edo GIS system will automatically reject the application,” he said.

He also pointed out that the report did not indicate the specific location of the alleged 14,000 hectares, calling it a fabricated story aimed at creating confusion and undermining the state’s land reform efforts.

The agency urged the public to disregard the viral claims, alleging that those behind the misinformation spent large sums of money to amplify the false narrative.

Reaffirming its commitment to transparency and accountability, Edo GIS noted that Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration had recently introduced a series of reforms to improve land management. Among these reforms was the revocation of a contract with a private firm that previously handled the state’s Certificate of Occupancy software.

“The Edo State Government remains committed to sanitising the land administration process and will not be distracted by falsehoods spread by those who benefit from disorder,” the statement concluded.

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