Land is a valuable asset in Nigeria, and it is important to protect it from encroachment. Encroachment is when someone builds on or otherwise occupies your land without your permission. It can be a serious problem, and it can be difficult to get it resolved.
Here are some tips on how to protect your land from encroachment:
- Get a survey of your land and keep it up to date. This will help you to prove that you own the land and that the encroachment is illegal.
- Put up fences or other barriers to mark the boundaries of your land. This will help to deter people from encroaching on your land.
- Register your land with the government. This will make it easier to prove your ownership of the land if there is a dispute.
- Keep good records of any correspondence or meetings you have with the person who is encroaching on your land. This will help you to build a case against them if you need to take legal action.
- If you see someone encroaching on your land, take action immediately. You can speak to the person yourself, or you can call the police.
If you have already been encroached upon, you can take legal action to evict the encroacher and recover damages. In Nigeria, encroachment is a tort, which means that the encroacher is liable for damages.
In the case of Ogunleye v. Adeleye, the Supreme Court held that the encroacher was liable to pay damages for the loss of use of the land, the cost of removing the encroachment, and the cost of repairing the damage to the land.
If you are facing encroachment on your land, it is important to speak to a lawyer. A lawyer can help you to protect your rights and to take the necessary steps to evict the encroacher and recover damages.
We hope this information is helpful. Please feel free to share this post with anyone who you think may benefit from it.
Referenced authority:
Ogunleye v. Adeleye (2022) LPELR-55351(SC)
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