The Ondo State Government's Anti-Land Grabbing and Property Protection policy has become a significant game-changer in property administration. Signed into law by Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa on December 30, 2024, the policy aims to address land disputes, property rights, and unlawful occupation. The law was preceded by Executive Order 4-2024, which signaled the government's intention to tackle land grabbing.
The implementation of the law was further reinforced with the inauguration of the State Task Force on Property Protection and Anti-Land Grabbing on May 28, 2025. Chaired by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, the Task Force brings together respected professionals and stakeholders to oversee the policy's implementation. The committee's mandate covers the state's 18 local government areas, providing a formal institutional channel for citizens to present and examine property complaints.
Under the Task Force's leadership, a coordinated process has been established, bringing together legal judgment, technical assessment, investigation, mediation, and enforcement. This approach ensures that property disputes are resolved through dialogue, mediation, or reconciliation where possible, while enforcement action is taken when necessary. The policy's objective is not simply to increase arrests or prosecutions but to restore lawful possession, prevent escalation, and protect legitimate property rights.
The enforcement phase of the policy has demonstrated that it is not limited to individuals without influence. Traditional rulers, community figures, land agents, surveyors, and religious figures have faced investigation or prosecution in cases where the authorities alleged conduct covered by the law. In 2026, courts remanded monarchs, a high chief, a pastor, and a surveyor over allegations relating to land grabbing, encroachment, unlawful takeover, and illegal sale of property.
The broader significance of the policy is economic as much as legal. Secure land ownership provides confidence for farmers to invest in productive activity, families to build and occupy properties, and small business owners to establish premises and plan for the future. For developers and investors, the policy reduces the risk of substantial investment becoming trapped in competing claims. Land insecurity can delay projects, discourage investment, disrupt livelihoods, and create conflicts that spread into communities.
The protection of land is part of the foundation upon which economic activity, investment, infrastructure, and urban development are built. The policy sits within the broader development agenda of the administration, which includes roads, agriculture, healthcare, housing, business support, and other development programmes. All these efforts depend on an environment in which people can own, use, develop, and invest in property with confidence.
Governor Aiyedatiwa's wider justice-sector reforms are also relevant to the land policy. The administration has expanded judicial and legal capacity, including increasing the number of High Court judges and employing additional law officers. These reforms aim to strengthen the legal ecosystem within which property rights can be interpreted, disputes adjudicated, and offences prosecuted.
Key points
- The Ondo State Government's Anti-Land Grabbing and Property Protection policy has established a formal institutional channel for citizens to present and examine property complaints.
- The policy's enforcement phase has demonstrated that it is not limited to individuals without influence, with traditional rulers and community figures facing investigation or prosecution.
- The protection of land ownership is part of the foundation upon which economic activity, investment, infrastructure, and urban development are built.
