The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Barr. Perepuighe Biewari, has advised Bayelsans and other residents to conduct due diligence before buying land to avoid being scammed by fraudsters.
The commissioner gave this advice when foremost environmentalist and human rights activist, Comrade Morris Alagoa, visited him at his office in Yenagoa on Monday.
Biewari, who noted that the issue of land scam is not only peculiar to Bayelsa, stressed that most people fall for it because they lack patience.
He advised residents to perform due diligence, including making inquiries from government sources before proceeding with any land purchase in the state.
According to him, “The selling and reselling of land does not only happen in Bayelsa State; these are common trends that occur across states in the country, including Delta, Lagos, Rivers, and even Abuja, despite their well-established geographical information systems.
“Almost all the victims of land fraud are impatient buyers. If you want to buy land, you should demand the Deed of Conveyance from the seller.
“This is important because if the original owners are not selling to you, it means they might be planning something fraudulent. You should request the Deed of Conveyance, as it is supposed to be the person’s title document.”
The commissioner disclosed that plans are underway to enforce “Deed Registration,” adding that those currently registering are pursuing a Certificate of Occupancy (CofO).
“Some people are not really interested in CofO, but if we allow them to register their Deed, anyone who comes to make a search will see that such a Deed has already been deposited,” he added.
Earlier in his remarks, Alagoa described Biewari as his kinsman and congratulated him for being the first person from Olodiama Clan to be appointed as a Commissioner in the state.
He raised issues concerning land ownership in Bayelsa State, including alleged development levies by communities or individuals, land scams (selling the same piece of land to multiple buyers), and delineation issues.
“First, your Ministry is of significant importance to the people of Bayelsa State. I don’t know if you are aware, but in some suburbs of Yenagoa, you may buy land and, after starting development, face obstruction from individuals demanding development fees or levies.
“Many Bayelsans have complained about this practice. Worse still, these individuals may threaten or use violence against workers on the site if one does not comply,” he said.
He also drew the Commissioner’s attention to certain observations and seeming controversies surrounding the naming of rivers and creeks in Bayelsa state, citing a recent debate concerning the river running through Amassoma, Otuan and linking the Nun River.
Alagoa, therefore, advocated for the need to have an assemblage of professionals in the relevant thematic areas as contained in the Bayelsa state administrative map to dispassionately do justice on the subject matter.
In his response, the commissioner promised to look into the matter and, after proper consultation,the state government would do the needful where necessary.