Risks Involved in Purchasing Land Undergoing Excision Process in Lagos

Real estate companies, agents, and marketers in Ibeju Lekki often use the phrase “Excision in Process” as a land scam gimmick to deceive potential buyers. They claim that the lands they are selling are undergoing “Excision Processing” and already have a “File Number” to lure buyers into purchasing their property. However, this tactic is just a scam, whether it is used innocently or negligently, and buyers need to be wary of it.

Purchasing land that is classified as “Excision in Process” or has a “File Number” is like pouring petrol on your hard-earned money and setting it ablaze, especially if you are smoking weed. The major title of a property being “Excision in Process” and “File Number” at the time of purchase does not signify good title and holds no meaning. It has become the most fraudulently used term to scam millions of people in Nigeria today. To grasp the meaning of “Excision in Process,” let me briefly explain what it means.

In Nigeria, communities and villages, particularly in Lagos, own lands that have been passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years. These lands are divided into portions or acres and given to different families in the community. The custodians of these lands are usually the senior members of the family who keep records of the lands and prevent trespassers from taking over. Before 1978, family custodians could sell land to whomever they wanted and controlled who could own land in their community. In 1978, the Land Use Act gave the government the authority to own all lands in Nigeria and the governors the authority to own all lands in the state. To own land, permission from the government is needed, and a certificate of ownership is issued for a certain number of years. The government can take some of the land, and the rest is given back to the community, with the division of the land being recorded in a government journal called the Gazette. This process is known as an excision. The process of excising a land is complicated and requires intense lobbying and payment of community lands as compensation.