The Imo State Government has launched a comprehensive demolition exercise targeting all unauthorized structures and occupants on government-reserved lands across the state. The government made it clear that the Imo State Housing Corporation has no legal authority to allocate any part of such lands for private or commercial purposes.

 

Speaking to journalists, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Monitoring and Compliance, Nze Chinasa Nwaneri, revealed that investigations by his office uncovered widespread illegal occupation of government verges. He said many of the occupants are presenting forged and backdated allocation documents as evidence of ownership.

 

According to him, several people have claimed ownership of plots within the Aladinma Garden Estate using questionable documents. However, official findings confirm that such allocations lack legal validity. He explained that the affected verges are public lands set aside for road buffers and utility easements, and are not available for any private development.

 

“The Imo State Government is determined to protect its urban planning and infrastructure,” Nwaneri stated. “These illegal developments obstruct drainage systems and roadways, causing flooding and damaging recently reconstructed roads.”

 

He warned that any structure found encroaching on government verges would be demolished without further warning. He also advised the public to avoid transacting with fake land agents or officials offering unlawful allocation papers.

 

Business owners and individuals currently occupying such spaces have been directed to vacate immediately, or risk being forcibly removed and prosecuted for illegal occupation of public property.

 

Nwaneri stressed that government verges are essential for road safety, drainage, and infrastructure preservation—not for kiosks, private buildings, or recreational activities. Violations, he said, threaten public safety and undermine state development efforts.

 

He urged residents to report any suspicious land allocations or unauthorized activity on public lands to the Governor’s Office or the Ministry of Lands, assuring that the government remains committed to enforcing the law and protecting public interest.