Shock as 17-years-old Purchases 14,000 Hectares of Land, Gov Okpebholo Orders Probe

• A 17-year-old boy in Edo State has drawn public attention after reportedly buying 14,000 hectares of land in full cash.
• Governor Monday Okpebholo described the purchase as “unusual and suspicious” and ordered a full investigation into the teenager’s source of income.
• The governor also suspended the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O) across the state to curb fraudulent land deals.
• The Edo Ministry of Lands and financial intelligence units are tracing the payment trail, while civil groups have praised the government’s swift action.

A 17-year-old boy from Edo State has stunned many after reportedly buying 14,000 hectares of land in full cash, prompting the Edo State Government to launch an investigation into his source of income.

Governor Monday Okpebholo described the purchase as “unusual and suspicious” and has ordered a probe to uncover how a minor could afford such a massive deal.

“The investigation is ongoing to ascertain the source of livelihood of the possessor of the land to be able to acquire such a large expanse of land,” Okpebholo said in Benin City during a meeting with members of the Shift Naija Initiative.

As part of the probe, the governor has suspended the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O) across the state to prevent fraudulent land transactions.

Reports indicate the land, spanning several local government areas, was fully paid for in cash and may have been acquired for commercial use.

The Edo Ministry of Lands and Surveys is leading the inquiry, alongside financial intelligence units tracing the payment trail.

Civil groups have commended the swift action. “This is a test of the governor’s resolve to clean up Edo’s land sector,” said a spokesperson for the Shift Naija Initiative.

Governor Okpebholo reaffirmed his stance on transparency, saying, “We cannot allow land, a critical asset for our people’s future, to be manipulated by questionable means.”