Era of Land Grabbing, Fraudulent Transactions in Enugu Over – Surveyor General, NIS

Chime Justus, the Enugu State Surveyor General, and the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) have declared that the newly introduced Digital Survey Management System in the state marks the end of land grabbing, fraudulent transactions, and illegal land allocations in the state.

They said the innovation, part of Governor Peter Mbah’s sweeping reforms in land administration, would restore investor confidence, promote transparency, and strengthen land ownership rights.

The declaration was made on Tuesday at the Surveyors’ House, Enugu, during a one-day workshop organised by the Office of the Surveyor General to sensitise stakeholders, including public and private surveyors, landowners, developers, and estate agents, on the transition from analogue to a fully digital survey and cadastral management system.

In his keynote address, Surv. Chime hailed the Governor Peter Mbah-led administration for its vision and commitment to transforming the land management sector, describing the digital survey system as a “historic reform that places the surveying profession at the heart of land administration in Enugu State.”

“This new system ensures that survey data, coordinates, and professional signatures are stored in a tamper-proof database. It will prevent duplication of surveys, eliminate land disputes, and safeguard both surveyors and landowners. Once a survey is recorded in the system, it cannot be altered or manipulated without accountability,” he said.

He explained that the platform would protect professional integrity, speed up approvals, and ensure that survey works are traceable to their rightful owners.

“Land does not vanish, and now survey records will not either. Even after we are gone, our work will continue to speak for us,” he added.

The Surveyor General urged members of the public to take advantage of the ongoing reforms by registering their properties with the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development, stressing that digital documentation is now the surest protection against fraud and land encroachment.

Lending his voice, the Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Enugu State chapter, Surv. Emmanuel Nnamani, commended the state government for the “revolutionary reform,” describing it as a masterstroke in sanitising the state’s land administration system.

“Before now, there were frequent cases of multiple allocations and overlapping surveys because of poor documentation. But with this new digital system, every land and survey record will now be traceable to one legitimate owner,” Nnamani said.

He added that the system would eliminate fake cadastral plans and multiple claims on a single plot of land. “It is a game changer. Surveyors must embrace this change instead of fearing that technology will replace them. In fact, it enhances our relevance, making land verification faster and more accurate,” he said.

The NIS chairman also applauded the government’s investment in modern survey equipment, including drones, total stations, and dual-frequency GPS systems, and the establishment of Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) across the state, describing them as vital tools that guarantee data accuracy and precision.

Also speaking, the Enugu State Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Barr. Chimaobi Okorie, said the digital survey management system was designed in line with Governor Mbah’s vision to make Enugu a top destination for investors.

“Investors seek certainty and predictability in land transactions,” Okorie said. “We discovered that past distortions in survey descriptions caused conflicts and overlaps. His Excellency therefore directed the deployment of a digital survey management system that enables anyone to view their land coordinates directly on their devices, ensuring accuracy and transparency.”

He explained that the reform would completely eliminate boundary conflicts and overlapping layouts, adding that the initiative was a product of strong collaboration between the Ministry of Lands, the Surveyor General’s Office, and the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors.

“This is not just a reform, it’s a partnership that brings certainty to land administration and guarantees that every survey and allocation in Enugu is digitally verifiable,” he said.

The commissioner reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to continuous engagement with professionals to ensure smooth implementation, noting that the workshop was an avenue to align surveyors and developers with the government’s digital land policy.

Participants at the workshop described the initiative as a turning point in land governance in Enugu State, praising Governor Mbah’s administration for introducing a technology-driven system that secures property ownership, boosts investor trust, and strengthens the rule of law in land management.