Oyo Government Insists Revoked Lands No Longer Belong to Federal Government
The Oyo State Government has declared that all landed properties it has revoked automatically revert to the state and no longer belong to any former allottee, including the Federal Government. The clarification comes in response to a recent public notice issued by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, which cautioned Nigerians against purchasing certain properties in Oyo State, claiming they remained federal assets.
Speaking at a press briefing in Ibadan on Thursday, the state Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Akinfunmilayo Williams, said the government acted within its legal rights under the Land Use Act of 1978, which vests authority over land in a state in the hands of the governor. He described the state’s revocation exercise as lawful, transparent, and necessary to ensure that public land is properly utilised for development and the welfare of citizens.
Williams explained that the affected properties — including the Africa Regional Centre for Engineering Design and Manufacturing (ARCEDEM) along Iwo Road, the Federal Low-Cost Estate and Site and Services at Idi-Ayunre, a Federal Housing Scheme in Saki, the National Strategic Grain Reserve at Iyande, the Radio Nigeria property at Basorun, and the National Horticultural Research Institute site at Ajalubosa, Alesinloye — had been abandoned or underutilised for decades. According to him, some of the sites had become havens for criminals and were posing security threats to surrounding communities, prompting the government to take action.
He cited the ARCEDEM property as a clear example, noting that it was allocated as far back as 1983 but had become derelict after years of neglect. “That parcel of land became a jungle, harbouring criminals and posing a security risk. Following several complaints, we issued a notice of intent to revoke its Certificate of Occupancy in September 2020 and formally reclaimed it the following month,” the commissioner stated. He added that the government’s decision was not hostile but a necessary measure to safeguard state assets, restore investor confidence, and promote urban growth.
The commissioner further clarified that in areas such as Ona-Ara, where the Federal Government still retained some developed structures, the state only reclaimed the portions that were manifestly undeveloped. He urged the federal authorities to make effective use of other lands in their possession rather than allow them to remain idle for decades. Williams also cautioned the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development against misleading the public by asserting ownership of lands that had been legally revoked and reallocated.
The Federal Ministry’s earlier notice, signed by its Permanent Secretary, Shuaib Belgore, had warned that any individual or entity attempting to buy, sell, or claim ownership of the listed properties would be acting illegally and at their own risk. However, the Oyo State Government maintains that its revocation process complied with the Land Use Act and that the affected properties are now under its lawful control. The development highlights growing tension between federal and state authorities over land administration, particularly in cases where federally allocated lands have remained unused for extended periods.