IF EVERYONE WAS LIKE YOU THEN NIGER WILL BE A GREAT PLACE.I FOUND YOUR PIECE VERY EDUCATIVE AND TIMELY AS AM IN THE PROCESS OF BUYING  A PIECE OF LAND IN AGBARA FROM A COMPANY CALLED "Strategic Shelter Development Co. ltd".THEY ARE BUILDING 2 ESTATE (Queen's Land  estate  AND royal palm estate @ Agbara Igbesa) .
The royal palm according to them already have the global c of o but they are very expensive cheapest starts at 3.5m ,but queens land starts at 700,000(they are in the process of acquiring the global c of o).
My question is if i decide to go for the queens land shld i wait until they get the global c of o, or can i go ahead and buy it now since they allow stalmental payments(price might go up after they get the c of o)?

Thanks

lastpage:

Lawyer,
What does one do in a situation where the survey plan presented by the family is one showing not just your 'individual plot' but the whole acres of plot allocated to the family by the government (according to the omo-oniles)? And on that survey, you have a stamp saying "free from acquisition"

Of course, you are now asked to do your own "individual survey" with a caveat of using their own supplied surveyor!


Will this do in your opinion ? And what kind of verification can one do in this type of situation?

@lastpage:

Thank God somebody has finally brought up this particular issue. Let me break down the real issues in your question to truely analyse:

1.

What does one do in a situation where the survey plan presented by the family is one showing not just your 'individual plot' but the whole acres of plot allocated to the family by the government (according to the omo-oniles)? And on that survey, you have a stamp saying "free from acquisition

When an omonile or family omonile shows you their whole survey plan mapping out the entire area it is as a result of the following;

a. The families want to separate their own lands from the other community so they call a surveyor to map out their own lands according to their customs, heritage and gift of succession of land over the years.

b. When they divide it now into particular plots, it is know a block per plot and it makes it easier to locate your plot if you intend to buy from a family that has done this. They usually look as if your buying from an approved Government scheme. Its is an organized way of doing things but the problems comes from the fact that what they allocate to you via paper is different from what you see in real life.

So unless those plots that have been mapped out as a Scheme, you should take it with a pinch of salt and get an Alausa Surveyor to go with you to map it out personally. I have expereinced lands and still expereincing this same thing when they show you mapped out plots for you to buy and you just buy them on face value without taking a a professional surveyor to map out the coordinates according to what is written in their survey plan, you could end up buying another person's land that has been allocated or sold to somebody else and thats where the real wahala starts.

b.

And on that survey, you have a stamp saying "free from acquisition

No matter the survey plan that you see free from acquisition stamped on it, whether individual land for sale or family mapped out land for sale, make sure you do the survey plan search to verify it in the surveyor general's office.

The number one fraud and scam today in land sales is this "Free from Acquisition" stamp you see on survey plans. It has generated so much controversy and has led to the duping of loads of People in terms of Millions of Naira.

For example, i was with a Nairalander who engaged me for my services this Saturday Gone for me to help him do a search in Lekki Eputu Village to be precise. The omoniles continued to assure him that the land for sale was a Government Gazetted land and was Free from Acquisition. They were so sure that he was going to buy the land not knowing he had called me to verify and do the search for him. I came with an Alausa Surveyor and did the search instantly there and found out that the so called land that was gazetted according to the Omonile wasn't Gazetted at all and in fact it was under Government Acquisition. In fact today i got the news that it is the proposed berthing station for the Proposed BRT Buses to ply that Route.

My new Nairaland Friend has been thanking me profusely for not allowing those omonile's use that same trick to scam him off his money but we give God the glory for giving us the strenght and wisdom to help and educate one another in times like this. And i have promised to help and search for him a very good land that is free from Government Acquistion even if it takes me the whole year until he is happy and goes to bed peacefully with his family unperturbed.

So what i am saying in a nut shell regarding this is that dont ever ever judge on face value a survey plan that you see is free from Government acquistion until you search it thoroughly in the Surveyor General's office before they give your the go ahead unless you couldjust be dashing another omonile free N2Million or more to buy Ogogoro and Shepe for himself and his boys because you failed to do the right thing.

Of course, you are now asked to do your own "individual survey" with a caveat of using their own supplied surveyor!

I have always had issues with this kind of bully tactics by some prominent families especially some prominent families in Lekki and Ikorodu. Some of the excuses they have for using their own individual surveyor include;

a. Providing Job Opportunities for the indigene surveyor

b. So that they can adequately defend a property that has been mapped by their own surveyor since it came from their own indigene.

In my own opinion thats absolute bullocks and holds no water anyday.

1.I have seen the so called "son-of the shoil" surveyor make absolute blunders of imaginable proportions when making a survey plan that leads to more land disputes than ever.

2. You hardly establish a rapport with the surveyor because you pay a huge sum of money and you never get to see them when you need the survey plan

3. It takes 3-6months or more to get a survey plan that should be in your possession within a Month at most

4. You have no idea whether they have lodged the red copy or not in the Surveyor General's office

5. It takes a life time for the beacons to arrive to map out your plot

6. When you report or get agitated to the Baale or chief of the family, instead of understanding, it results in a shouting match as if they are the ones doing you a favour and in most situations they are not on seat after they have collected your money.

I have no problem if they are providing job opportunities for their indigenes but if the plan to use them was to provide due diligence and reliable works then it is a laudable reason to use them but from experience only a hand ful of families that use them get the best out of them e.g the oniru families, the olumegbon families etc but the Areas where there are just loads of bushes and all of a sudden they have seen small civilization and people ready to buy and they start saying its their family surveyor that will do the survey plan, Please challenge them to the end that you are bringing your own surveyor to do the mapping because your surveyor will give you the best since your paying him to do so.

And as for Verification of the survey plan, only an Alausa Surveyor can verify the authencity of it and give you the carry go, that is why i have an Alausa surveyor on my payroll 24/7 anywhere i go to do an on site investigation so that i would know on the spot whether the land is good or a bad land you should avoid.

Hope i have answered your questions to the best of my knowledge

sharonorg:

IF EVERYONE WAS LIKE YOU THEN NIGER WILL BE A GREAT PLACE.I FOUND YOUR PIECE VERY EDUCATIVE AND TIMELY AS AM IN THE PROCESS OF BUYING A PIECE OF LAND IN AGBARA FROM A COMPANY CALLED "Strategic Shelter Development Co. ltd".THEY ARE BUILDING 2 ESTATE (Queen's Land estate AND royal palm estate @ Agbara Igbesa) .
The royal palm according to them already have the global c of o but they are very expensive cheapest starts at 3.5m ,but queens land starts at 700,000(they are in the process of acquiring the global c of o).
My question is if i decide to go for the queens land shld i wait until they get the global c of o, or can i go ahead and buy it now since they allow stalmental payments(price might go up after they get the c of o)?

Thanks

Hi Sharong

Thank you very much for the kind words and encouragement, at least it takes one person to convince the next person to do a little bit of good to assist others and one by one before you know we would all be kinder towards each other and less dubious. Its a blessing and Gift from God as one Nairalander told me and if i refuse to acknowledge this is my Gift to help People, God might take it away from me and leave me gift-less . . .lol

Besides unlike some people, i love doing it and i dont do it because i need to make money as so many people i have come across will testify, i prefer seeing you smile first and i will smile later. So once again thank you!


Anyway as to your question . . . hmmm its quite a delicate question because i dont know how lond it took them to get the first Global C/O of the Royal Palms and that will determine how long it will take them to get the one for Queens land.

I really hate hearing a C/O is under process. There is nothing like that. It is either you have a C/O or you dont have. A C/O under process does not confer any kind of legal right to anybody or company and what if it is under process for the next 10 years? Do you still have to wait for it to mature?

This is what i would advise first. Try and get a survey plan of the area or take an Alausa Survey to that land to know whether that place Government has plans for it in Future and if you have to pay any ratification or not there in case the Government releases it.

If the Surveyor gives you a go ahead, you can purchase the Queensland but it should be noted in you should tell your lawyer to insert in the deed of assignment or a Memorandum of Understanding (M.O.U) that when you buy the land, it is the duty of Queensland to ratify your deed with the new Global C/O so that they dont charge you an extra fee for ratification of the deed to conform with the Global C/O in future.

Hope i have tried to answer it and if you need more info please feel free to ask and i will do my best!

Cheers

Thank you "Lawyer".
That matter get as e-be
It was a real life experience l had some years back @lekki but l wont go into details here since l dont know who among them is reading this (some Matter is still pending on it).
I will see you with original documents in a while.

Please keep up the good work. I am thrilled you said "you enjoy what you are doing"!
Its a wonderful thing in life when you "enjoy your work".

Multiple success is assured, l assure you.
Remain blessed and may the love and kindness you're extending to "strangers", pursue you (and all that is yours), all the days of your life (Amen)

Lastpage

Dear Lawyer,
Thanks for your assistance,i bought a property,i was ask to use land family ownersurveyor for the survey when they insist.,but after getting my survey i check the red copy and comfirmation from Alausa through a friend but to my suprice after about eight month of the survey the red copy have not been submitted.
I have approach the surveryor he said he has not submitted it,that he wanted to combine it with other survey to submit together.
For how long should i wait before he sumbmit it?
If i have money should i insist on collecting my money and use another surveyor?
Awaiting you reaction
Thank You

Lawyer, thank you so very much for your educative information. I know you have said you don't want to get involve in the property along Mowe / Ibafo axis.
But please what would u advise or recommend, I will be checking up a property (precisely land) advertised on nairaland by Way and Life Concept at Ijere Ibafo along the Lagos Ibadan Expressway.

Again, has anyone in the house transact business with the company before? They seem to have alot of offers advertised.

Hi Law,

I would like to be updated about the landed properties along the Shagamu-Papalanto Road cos I am investing there presently. My mail is idnobleg@gmail.com.

Thanks.

lawyer thanks for your detailed info. i am trying to buy a plot of land and i have 500k.i know the process is very difficult. where do u think will be a good area to buy now (2010), without regretting. the pros and cons to look out for from day one when processing the purchase.

thanks lawyer for your proffessional advice.

please I want to ask how one can know if a land is under goverment acquisition from the survey plan as you said earlier or otherwise.
I learnt one requires a reg. or certified true copy of the survey and needs to check with a govt. body, which one is what I dont.
could you please shed more light.
thanks a mill.

Well done lawyer. Can u help out with similar issues in Abuja especially with area council lands? Thanks

if u want to purchase a land like mowe ofada, isheri north etc. do u still need to ask for survey plan and deed of assignment or conveyance?

Hello Lawyer,

There are some Nairalanders who have been silent participants (observers) for a while, but who read up on issues they are interested in; I am one of them. But I want to come out and say welldone for all the good work. I see that integrity and ethical behavior has not been totally banished from among Nigerians, and that is something commendable. Please keep it up.

I intend to send an email to your mailbox in a few minutes, to make some enquiries.

Thank you

lawyer,

thanks for all the great advice. what advice would you give me in my situation. I would like to purchase cheap farmland of about 60-70 acres at $500-$1000 dollars an acre or 75,000 NGN - 150,000 NGN per acre. I don't really care where the land is located as long as it is located in an extremely safe country in Africa. By safe, I mean safe from crime and I guess wildlife but I'm not sure if I should be worrying about that. I just thought I should say it out loud anyway since I was thinking about it.

My plans are simple. Start a farm and live as an organic farmer TOTALLY off the grid. I want a totally self-sustainable farm to myself. I have funds saved up not much but I can at least start purchasing land now if possible. I'm not really looking to make any kind of deal here online but I'm just looking for friendly professional advice from you since you seem like an experienced member here who has expert knowledge in this area regarding Africa. Thanks

YL

Dlaw,
Thanks for assisting Nairalanders and saving people from losing Millions of Naira, I know surely that history will not forget you.
I have an interest in a Land within an estate under Ikotun Egbe side in an estate belonging to the cooperative society of a reknowed institution offer for sale by the cooperative body, I went to Surveyor generals office with the survey and I was told the Land is Govt Acqussition but is subject to ratification and not committed type, that Govt revoked the land in 1984 and gave it to the cooperative body as an Estate, but there was no global Cof O for the land only global survey plan, individual allottee by the cooperative carried out their Cof O by themselves but few werent able to do their C of O as at that time, and the Land being offered for sale now was then planned to be used for their Nursery school for their children but now most members are old and the dream of school is not realizable so they decided to sell it off and use the money realized to develop ammenities in the estate.

The document being offered for the land are deed of assignment, Survey, lawyer agreement and introductory letter to govt as a member of the cooperative society ( I am also a member of the society)

I have heard several stories about govt land ratification that they are pretty costly venture nowadays (Is this true?) and very long, moreover the Land cost is already on the high side, coupled with the ratification cost and procedure what will you advice.

May be you can use this avenue to also explain in detail the task and cost of ratification of govt land.

Thanking you as you assist.

Hi Lawyer,

Thanks for all your great effort so far on this site, You are a star!

Agreed we can do a search in Alausa , and Bureau of land and housing, If Ogun state, to ascertain a land is free from govt. acquisition and its a residential area etc.

1. How do we verify the actual ownership of the land?? I mean how and which ministry can we verify that the deed of assignment ,Cof O, etc is genuine?

2. And if the documents itself is genuine, after confirming it at wherever applicable, how do you know that the seller is actually the title holder named on the document. He could have been a brother to the title holder , trying to sell the land without the holder's knowledge. How can i verify he is the real owner.

Sorry , my questions are a bit numerous, but it will be great if you can shed more light on this area for the whole house please.

Mnay thanks. xx

Hi lawyer, please i need your advice.i live abroad but recently i came across an advert on the internet about the sales of landed property at Olive estate Ofada near Ibafon. please do you know how genuine that is? and the dangers of install-mental payment which they ask for.Thanks

Wow So many Questions. Sorry i have been a bit busy. Handling most of the searches can be quite daunting and stressful but very soon, i will create time to answer all your questions.

Bottom line for most of these questions is to search, search and search until your satisfied. Dont let anyone bamboozle you into buying anything without you conducting your search.

Just this few weeks i posted this topic, i know how many people i have helped by stopping them from purchasing bad properties under acquistion and lands advertised as good lands but end up being problematic lands either physically on the site or through the survey plan.

Never Give up. There is no rest for the wicked especially the omoniles. They will continue to flaunt lands in your face as good lands until you bite the dust and regret your actions for good.

Be smart and wise when it comes to property issues!

Thanks lawyer. Your articles are of great help. God will bless you as you are blessing others with valuable info. oladavies

It baffles me to think this is real. . . all these advise for free? in Nigeria? somebody wake me up plssssss

You have my respects lawyer, and i will advise that you keep this up.

I will like to get in touch with you, not that i have litigation cases or land dispute, but, i will like to be among the fortunate few who are chanced to meet you in life!

BTW, if one wishes to engage your services, does it cover Abuja environs as well?

Please, can i give you a list of properties that are for sale to work on?
Regards.

1

Hi Lawyer,
I was just passing by and wanted confirm some issue about buying Lands in Nigeria.
Am presently outta the country and also an estate consultant here in South Africa.

How do one know if a land is genuie when they want to sell and not pay maybe to 3 different people.

A Land in Ibadan fr example, how can someone do the checking to know more about it?
Do we need to go to Government office first or what you advise.

Please let me know.


John.
S.A

ummm am i in the wrong section

the law,thanks so much for this piece. what's your take on Awoyaya in Ibeju Lekki LCDA. A baale is offering two plots for sale.

I just want 2 say you are doing a good Job and may God Almighty continue to strengthening you with lots of Wisdom and Energy. I'm a new to this and it's really nice to have such Forum that Hornest Nigerian can come to and share ideas and information of what's happening in our beloved country.

Please kindly advice me if I'm on the right track with the 2 Plots of land purchased in Lagos Badagry area, I've done my survey, fenced it round, d Arch Drawing is nearly don as well and also done the DEED OF ASSIGNMENT as adviced by my layer and also wants us to do RATIFICATION as the land is under Government acquisition.

please your advice will be very vital as to what to do next

Hello Lawyer,
Am one of the many quiet nairalanders that quietly watch and learn from experts like you.Though seems these days some ingrates are getting on your nerves but dont worry,always remember that within the 12 disciples of Jesus,there was Judas, also there was peter!!!

Pls lawyer am a kind of my man that does take things for granted sometimes BUT having quietly studied your write ups and postings,sincerely l ve learnt alot .

Pls i ve this parcel of land on my mind in SELEWU AREA OF IGBOGBO,IN IKORODU.The family have a constituted committee in charge of sales(family receipt and a family deed signed by the 8 authorised signatories).

My question is-is selewu village in igbogbo ikorodu under any government obligations(state or federal)?

THANK YOU.

Lawyer,

I recently bought two plots of land in Badagry, just after the old toll gates. My brother inlaw who owns his own home in another area of badagry handled the whole transaction for me since i don't live in Nigeria. All i have right now is the receipt from the family i bought the plots from. I'm in the process of fencing the place right now.

Please is there a way i can get you involved in doing all the checks i should have done in the beginning? Also, i would it be possible for you to handle all the paperwork involved going forward?

Thnx alot.

Whitehorse

WHERE LAWYER?

YOU DIDN'T ANSWER OUR QUESTION'S ARE YOU TIRED OF HELPING US?

woa !
are you for real,you're doing a wonderful job here,now this what i'm talking about,you one of the few progressive and intelligent pips here on nl,
your post are simply brilliant not like some pips just wasting the keyboard's strenght and company's Internet connection.

@lawyer
pls i sent a mail to your box concerning property verification.
Thanks

Very well explained,
Your post has very good information in it regarding the property & deed matters.
i think you should summarize your ideas & report.