A Lagos property lawyer has warned land owners and potential land owners in Epe to be careful. The state government has revoked almost all the lands in the area.
In a circulating video, he said, “If you’ve bought a land in Epe, be very worried. If you’re about to buy land in Epe, you’ll also be very worried. The government has revoked almost all the lands in that place and has held it as its own, for now.
“Anybody who has land in Epe, except you have a previous C of O or a governor’s consent to own the land, if you’ve bought land in Epe and you don’t have any title on it, that land is liable to belong to the government.
“Lagos State government is likely to revoke all the titles in that place and claim it as their own. They are now shifting it to a new group or organisation called NTDA. This group will be in charge of all those lands.
“If you’ve bought a land there that doesn’t have C of O or consent previously, you’re exposing yourself to problem. If they go and do any investigation on that property, they will say status cannot be found, status cannot be determined. That simply means the government has blocked all channels for people to own land in that place that have no title.”
“If you have a land in that place, please start checking it to know whether you won’t fall under that status that cannot be obtained. Unless you might end up owning a land one day and they will not come and take it from you.”
In recent years, the Lagos State Government has intensified efforts to reclaim and regulate lands in rapidly developing areas such as Epe and Ibeju-Lekki. The government has transferred control of many such lands to the NTDA. This move aims to centralize land administration, curb illegal estate developments, and maintain order in the state’s urban expansion process.
Lagos State New Towns Development Authority (NTDA)
The Lagos State New Towns Development Authority (NTDA) is a government agency operating under the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development. It was established to plan, design, and manage the development of new towns within the state.
The agency is responsible for acquiring and managing land designated for new town projects. It provides essential infrastructure such as roads, drainage systems, and utilities. The agency also prevents uncoordinated or illegal developments. Furthermore, it oversees the allocation and regularization of land titles within government-acquired areas. This ensures that residential and commercial plots are developed in accordance with approved layouts and state planning regulations.
Through its schemes, the NTDA manages several key developments, including Lekki Schemes I and II, Ibeju Coastal Scheme, Epe Residential Scheme, Ijanikin Housing Scheme, and Agbowa Resettlement Scheme, among others.
