The Oyo State Government has declared that all landed properties it lawfully revoked now belong exclusively to the state, dismissing recent claims by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development that some of the sites remain federal assets.
At a press briefing in Ibadan on Thursday, the State Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Akinfunmilayo Williams, clarified that the affected properties had long been reclaimed under the provisions of the Land Use Act of 1978, which vests authority over land in each state in the office of the governor.
Williams was reacting to a public notice issued by the Federal Ministry warning Nigerians against purchasing certain properties in Oyo State, which it described as federal government assets. The notice, signed by Permanent Secretary Shuaib Belgore, listed properties such as the Africa Regional Centre for Engineering Design and Manufacturing (ARCEDEM), the Federal Low-Cost Estate and Site and Services at Idi-Ayunre, a Federal Housing Scheme in Saki, the National Strategic Grain Reserve at Iyande, Radio Nigeria property at Basorun, and the National Horticultural Research Institute site at Ajalubosa, Alesinloye.
The commissioner, however, maintained that these lands were legally revoked after years of neglect, misuse, and abandonment by the federal agencies concerned.
“Our action is not hostile but necessary to protect the state’s assets, restore investor confidence, and ensure that public land is used for the benefit of our people,” Williams said.
He noted that the state government followed due process, issuing formal notices of intent and revocation in line with statutory requirements. For instance, he explained that the ARCEDEM property along Iwo Road, originally allocated in 1983, had become derelict and a security threat before its revocation in 2020.
Williams described the Federal Ministry’s renewed ownership claim as “an embarrassment,” insisting that the land had already been reallocated for productive use.
Regarding the Ona-Ara land and Raymond Jackie Estate, he clarified that the state only repossessed undeveloped portions, while urging the federal authorities to develop the rest instead of letting it remain idle.
He further disclosed that temporary allocations made to federal media agencies such as the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) had expired, with courts affirming the state’s right to revoke and reallocate the lands.
The commissioner also accused some federal institutions of disregarding state planning laws by constructing buildings without obtaining state approval — a trend he said would no longer be tolerated.
“Federal status does not exempt any agency from complying with Oyo State’s planning and safety standards,” he warned.
Williams reaffirmed the state’s legal authority over all land within its borders and assured investors that Oyo’s revocation actions were transparent, lawful, and aimed at promoting sustainable development.
“Oyo State is sovereign in its land administration. Lands cannot lie waste under the guise of federal ownership,” he concluded.
