Broadcast By His Excellency, Gov Peter Obi On The Prohibition Of Fraudulent Practices On Land And Property Law

The Government of Anambra State has viewed with concern, the unwholesome acts of some miscreants in various parts of the State who engage in the negative conduct of obstructing, disturbing, impeding and generally preventing the needed development and improvement on land throughout the State.

Government also notes that the rascalities of these deviant groups, who operate under one name or the other, have had the undesirable effect of disrupting the activities of genuine investors and developers who wish to invest in the State.

We now have a law that takes care of this ugly situation. The law prohibits and makes criminal, certain conducts relating to land, some of which are:

–      Any person selling land not belonging to him, to another person.

–      Any person selling the same parcel of land to two or more different persons.

–      Any person demanding or collecting any fee not approved by law from any person developing or improving an already existing property in the State.

–      Any person willfully damaging, destroying, pulling down or removing any beacon or structure on any land belonging to another person.

–      Any person harassing, obstructing or assaulting any worker in a construction site with the intent to compel the worker or owner of the land to pay an illegal fee.

The penalties for these offences as provided by the law, range from four to ten years imprisonment or appropriate fine.

Enforcement Committees which will see to the strict implementation of this law are now being set up in all the Local Government Areas of the State.

Let me use this occasion to warn all those who have hitherto involved or engaged themselves in the activities which are now criminalized by the Prohibition of Fraudulent Practices on Land and Property Law, to henceforth desist from or put a stop to such unwholesome acts. Such persons, especially the youths, are advised to find other lawful and productive activities to engage in. It is the desire and determination of this Government to ensure and sustain a conducive and peaceful environment for all those engaged in lawful enterprise in this State.

Finally, the good people of the State will recall that at the early part of this Government, I had cause to proscribe some organizations in the effort to get rid of dangerous and undesirable elements so as to sanitize the State.

Presently, some more groups have emerged with similar negative activities which are inimical to the interest of the State. In this administration’s determination to  rid the State of all such undesirable groups and persons who hinder the lawful enterprise of our people, I have today, pursuant to my powers under Section 98(2) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Anambra State, 1991, proscribed some organizations or groups whose activities are deemed dangerous to the good government of the State by declaring them as unlawful societies in Anambra State. Those affected are:

(a)             Mpiawa-azu group (or by whatever name called);

(b)           Igbo Youths Organization (or by whatever name called);

(c)             Ogbaru Youths Organization (or by whatever name called); and

(d)           All other Local Government Areas Youth Organizations in the State.

The legal implication of this Order is that it is now a criminal offence for any person to belong to, associate with, manage or assist in the management of any of the concerned groups or organizations. All Community based youth organizations must be registered with, supervised by, controlled and subjected to the town union and traditional ruler of that community which must take responsibility for the activities or conducts of their youth organizations. This Government is determined and will continue to strive in its constitutional duty to maintain law and order in Anambra State.

Thank you all and may God bless you