Evaluation of Enforcement Machinery of Prohibition of Fraudulent Practices on Land and Property Law Anambra State, 2012

Abstract

Fraudulent activities on land are common occurrence in property market in Nigeria generally and particularly in Anambra State. The fraudulent practices on land include: selling of land to more than one person, selling of another person’s or family land without due consent, collection of illegal levies from the property owners/developers by non-state actors, among others. The existence of this problem necessitated the promulgation of Prohibition of Fraudulent Practices on Land and Property Law, Anambra State in 2012 to checkmate the miscreants who engage in such unwholesome practice. The extent of enforcement of provisions of this law in Anambra State since its inception has been a cause for concern. Content qualitative analysis research design was adopted in the review of the provisions of the Law and its enforcement. Regrettably, the Law is not being vigorously enforced as envisaged; indeed, it is being sabotaged. It is alleged that some unscrupulous law enforcement agents collude with the miscreants to carry out the fraudulent acts. Urgent amendment of the Law to substitute the local government implementation committee with two-level enforcement committees; the primary ones at the town/community level and the secondary one at the state level and creation of special tribunal/court to handle land grabbing cases are recommended in addition to government taking up the responsibility of addressing the root cause of youths’ restiveness, unemployment, among other social menaces in the state.