The Kogi State Government has withdrawn the powers of land owners to issue consent approvals, directing that such authority will now reside solely with the Office of the Executive Governor of the State.
This was one of the key resolutions reached at the Kogi State Executive Council meeting held on Thursday, 6th November, 2025, at the New EXCO Hall, Government House, Lokoja, under the chairmanship of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
Briefing newsmen at the end of the Executive Council Meeting, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Kingsley Femi Fanwo said with the new directive, all previously issued consent approvals by land owners are now declared invalid, while holders of such documents have been given four weeks to revalidate them at the Office of the Executive Governor.
Fanwo explained that the decision was taken after the government discovered that several individuals were in possession of forged consent approvals, which pose both administrative and security threats to the state.
He said the revalidation process would enable the government to properly profile all land users, ensure genuine ownership, and enhance security across communities.
“We have found that many of the consent approvals being paraded are fake, and the state has no record of those holding them. This situation poses a serious security risk. By centralizing the process and revalidating existing consents, we will know who occupies our land and for what purpose”, he stated.
The Commissioner said Governor Ododo’s administration remains committed to transparency, orderliness, and the protection of both citizens and investors in land administration, stressing that the move was in the overall interest of public safety and sustainable development.
He assured the citizens that the government will continue to implement policies that strengthen governance structures and safeguard the integrity of state assets.
Other key highlights from the Executive Council meeting included directives to Commissioners to provide three boreholes each in their local government areas, the restriction of articulated vehicles on Lokoja roads during the day, approval for transformer procurement across senatorial districts, and consideration of the 2026 Draft Budget christened “Budget of Shared Prosperity.”
