Land and property owners in parts of Elelenwo and Igwuruta communities in Obio/Akpor and Ikwerre Local Government Areas of Rivers State have been gripped by anxiety following a fresh move by the state government to revoke Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-Os) covering extensive parcels of land.
The Atlantic Bell reports that the panic was triggered by a public notice published on Friday, November 14, 2025, in The Tide Newspaper, in which the state government announced its intention to withdraw titles for multiple plots — totalling more than 500 hectares — in Igwuruta, surrounding communities in Ikwerre LGA, and Elelenwo in Obio/Akpor LGA.
Issued under the administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and citing “overriding public interest” pursuant to Section 28 of the Land Use Act 1978, the notice directs affected landowners to submit claims and supporting documents to the Ministry of Lands and Survey on or before November 28, 2025. Lands for which no claims are submitted will be deemed unclaimed and automatically taken over by the state.
Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Mr Tamunosaki Sordum, said valuation teams have begun assessing affected properties, assuring that compensation will reflect current market value plus an additional 10 per cent disturbance allowance.
The Atlantic Bell reports that the announcement has triggered a rush for clarification, with many buyers reportedly discovering encumbrances previously flagged in the state’s 2023 GIS land registry.
Government sources say the targeted area, strategically located near the Port Harcourt International Airport, has been earmarked for major infrastructure expansion, new road networks, and housing schemes under Governor Fubara’s 2025 development blueprint.
However, legal experts warn that classifying unclaimed plots as “unoccupied” could raise constitutional concerns over fair hearing, recalling previous controversies surrounding mass land revocations during the Greater Port Harcourt City project.
Community leaders in Elelenwo and Igwuruta have begun convening emergency meetings, urging residents to remain calm while advocating for transparent engagement and prompt compensation.
Meanwhile, long queues have formed at the premises of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation in Diobu, Port Harcourt, as desperate landowners scramble to obtain copies of the November 14 edition of The Tide to study the notice. With the newspaper snapped off newsstands, prices reportedly surged to between ₦2,000 and ₦5,000 per copy, while photocopies sold for about ₦2,000.
Despite the tension, government officials maintain that the acquisition of dormant lands is essential to the state’s broader development agenda, aimed at decongesting Port Harcourt, boosting investment inflows and creating jobs for the state’s growing youth population.
