Oyo State has directed the Federal Government to develop unused lands within the state or face forfeiture, reaffirming its authority under the Land Use Act to repossess idle properties.
Oyo State’s Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Williams Akin-Funmilayo, yesterday reiterated that all lands in the state are vested in the governor under the Land Use Act of 1978, and cautioned that federal agencies serving as “tenants” must actively use or risk having their allocations revoked.
He raised concerns over six major federal installations in Oyo — including the African Regional Centre for Manufacturing, Radio Nigeria’s land, and the National Strategic Grain Reserve — that have been abandoned or underutilised, describing them as security liabilities and obstacles to development.
“Our action is not hostile. It is a necessary measure to protect the state’s assets, restore investor confidence, and ensure that public land is used for the benefit of our people,” Akin-Funmilayo declared.
He also criticised what he called a “culture of impunity” among some federal agencies that flout state planning laws, insisting the state reserves the discretion to revoke occupancy rights over lands not used for public purposes.