The Borno Borno state Geographic Information Service BOGIS has sealed four offices of illegal land vendors in Maiduguri.
Addressing newsmen shortly after conducting a special operation, Executive Secretary of BOGIS Adam Bababe said the illegal vendors have defrauded many unsuspecting members of the public through allocation of land without proper documentation.
He explained that despite series of engagements by the Agency with the land vendors on ways to improve their services and conduct their activities in a legitimate way, the vendors continue to operate in an illegal manner.
Mr Bababe noted with concern how some teachers were swindled by the illegal vendors on a land Borno state government have earmarked for the construction of Mechanic Village along Damboa Road.
According to the Executive Secretary, the raid on the offices therefore became necessary to contain their nefarious activities, so as not to degenerate into any form of chaos in the society.
“In trying to see that we pay some compensation the land owners, we realised that teachers were swindled, they were asked to buy lands to build their houses in an unprofessional way, so if government want to pay compensation, who do we pay the compensation to, is to farm owners or the teachers that do not have the a concrete document that government does not recognise, Mr Bababe stressed “.
Adam Bababe added that government has now suspended all their activities while the officials will be handed over to relevant agencies for necessary action.
Cov/Dauda Iliya