The best way to avoid OMONILE wahala is to buy property in a serviced estate. In such a case, the estate developer (e.g. HFP engineering, Mega mound ltd, Lekki gardens, etc.) will be the one to confirm to you that you are dealing with the legitimate owner.

Typically, you conduct a search on the property at the developers office, where they confirm the size of the land, if there are any outstanding fees or encumbrances on the property, etc. after they have confirmed the owner to you, you then transact with him. He then does a letter to the developer stating that he has sold the property to you, and instructing them to issue you new title documents. It is always the developer that issues title documents directly to property owners

In the lekki area, serviced estates include VGC, ocean bay estate, LEKKY county homes, etc.

To learn more about serviced estates in Lagos, check out the neighbourhood review website - www.neighbourhoodreview.com