Byline: Tony Osauzo, Benin
The Edo State Government has sealed a brothel operating within Ujuele Primary School in Esan West Local Government Area and recovered over 2,000 plots of encroached government land across the state.
Eugene Okolosie, State Coordinator for the Protection of Government Property (PGP), announced these developments at a press conference in Benin City on Thursday.
Moreover, Okolosie revealed that over 150,000 houses in Edo are built on government land, urging property buyers to verify ownership through the Edo Geographic Information Service (EdoGIS) to avoid land grabbers.
He stated, “A lot of government property has been encroached upon. Seventy percent… have been taken over, and the most affected are our public schools. In Ambrose Alli University (AAU) alone we have recovered plots of land from land grabbers.”
Additionally, he noted community reports of forged signatures by land grabbers, saying, “The community came to inform us that land grabbers forged their signatures, and we moved into action and recovered about 90 percent of the land back, including lands belonging to schools.”
Regarding the brothel, he added, “For example, in Ujuele, primary school, they built a brothel inside the school and we have sealed the brothel and some of these properties will be converted and we are presently discussing the matter with the governor.”
Okolosie noted other violations, including the division and sale of Iyoba school land and a sold food silo, with investigations ongoing. The PGP has received over 3,000 petitions in two months and, with legal support from Governor Monday Okpebholo, aims to prosecute offenders and reclaim properties.