Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has signed into law two landmark legislations aimed at protecting public assets and promoting transparency in government property management.
The Edo State Public Property Protection Law, 2025, and the Customary Court of Appeal (Re-establishment) Law, 2025, were passed by the Edo State House of Assembly to safeguard public properties from unauthorized occupation, vandalism, encroachment, alienation, or destruction.
Penalties for Violations
The new law prescribes stringent penalties for violations, including a 10-year jail term for violent or forceful entry into state-owned property and a 5-year prison term for unauthorized sale or transfer of government property without the governor’s consent. Professionals who aid or abet illegal land transactions involving state property will also face sanctions, including prosecution and referral to their professional regulatory bodies for disciplinary action.
Establishment of the Edo State Public Property Protection Committee
The Edo State Public Property Protection Law, 2025, establishes the Edo State Public Property Protection Committee, a statutory body mandated to oversee, safeguard, and recover all public properties belonging to the state.
The committee is empowered to identify, inspect, seal, and recover encroached public properties, investigate disputes, and collaborate with law enforcement agencies to ensure strict compliance.
Commitment to Transparency and Accountability
Governor Okpebholo emphasized that the new legal framework demonstrates his administration’s zero tolerance for corruption, impunity, and misuse of government property.
The laws seeks to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance in the management of public assets, ensuring that public properties are protected for the benefit of all Edo State citizens.
What implications do you think this new law will have on the management of public assets in Edo State, and how will it affect the citizens of the state?
