In order to put an end to land grabbing and other land related land crimes, the Oyo State House of Assembly has passed the Real Properties Protection Bill, 2023 into law.
The Bill was passed on Tuesday at a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin.
The passage of the bill followed the presentation of the report of Oyo State House of Assembly Committee on Lands, Housing and Survey that considered the Real Properties Protection Bill which was read by the Committee Chairman, Hon. Bamidele Adeola (Iseyin State Constituency).
The bill makes it an offence for anyone to use force or self help to take over any real property or engage in any act inconsistent with the proprietary right of the owner or occupant of a property in the State.
Aside from this it is also an offence for anyone to illegally occupy or encroach on someone else’s property, aid the land grabbers or offer a property for sale without authority.
Some of the provisions of this bill include,
” As from the commencement of this law, no person shall use force or self help to take over any real property or engage in any act inconsistent with the proprietary right of the owner or occupant in the State.”
“Any person who engages in an act of land grabbing under this law commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 10years.”
” Any person who attempts to grab land commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 5years or a fine of #1m.”
” Any person who aids and abets another to commit the offence of land grabbing commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 2years or a fine of #500,000.”
” Any person who without lawful authority uses or threatens violence to grab any real property for himself or any other person commits the offence of land grabbing by violence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 15years or a fine of not less than #2m.”
” Any person who makes an entry with firearms, offensive weapons, fetish objects or any obnoxious chemical material – is in the company of any person (s) so armed, and or wounds,
injured, hurts or used violence on any person contrary to this law commits the offence of forceful entry, and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 10years without option of fine.”
” Any person occupying a property as a land grabber or by virtue of any title derived from a land grabber and fails to deliver possession of the property on being required to do so within one month by or on behalf of the owner of the property, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 5years or a fine of #500,000.”
” Any person who encroaches on any real property commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 5years or a fine of not exceeding #500,000.”
” Any person who is on any property as an encroacher and having with him any firearms, offensive weapons, fetish objects or any obnoxious chemical material commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 5years without option of fine.”
” No person shall sell or cause to be sold Government land, property or any part thereof without the consent and authority of the Government.
” No person shall sell or cause to sell family land, property or any part thereof without the consent or authority of the family head and other principal members of the family.”
” No person shall whether for himself or acting as an agent demand any fee or levy in respect of construction activities unless authorised.”
” No person shall enter any land where construction activities are taking place for the purpose of stopping, disturbing or otherwise.
“Any who contravenes the above is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 5years or a fine of #500,000.”