The Edo Geographic Information Systems (EdoGIS) has described as “deliberately mischievous and fabricated” reports circulating on social media alleging that a 17-year-old boy purchased 14 hectares of land in Edo State and was denied a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) by Governor Monday Okpebholo.
In a statement released on Monday by the Director of Press, Tunde Egbiremonlen, the agency clarified that there was no such transaction in its records.
Noting that a 17-year-old is legally considered a minor and, as such, is not eligible to register land ownership under Edo State law, Egbiremonlen stated that “The EdoGIS system will automatically reject such applications due to age restrictions”.
According to him, “In the first place, a 17-year-old cannot apply for registration of land in Edo state because that age bracket is assumed to be a minor; the EdoGIS system will automatically reject the application.
“To compound the objective of the rumourmongers, the peddlers of the story did not explain where in Edo state such 14,000 hectares were purchased by the minor”.
The statement accused the originators of the false information of attempting to cause disaffection and blackmail the government, alleging that significant funds were spent to circulate the fake news.
EdoGIS therefore urged the public to disregard the claims and remain vigilant against disinformation aimed at undermining the government’s credibility.