The Borno Geographic Information Service (BOGIS) has concluded a two-year process aimed at resolving land disputes in the BOSA 178 Layout, adjacent to the 7 Division in Maiduguri, and has set an October deadline for the regularisation of all land documents in the area.
Executive Secretary of BOGIS, Engr. Adam Bukar Bababe, disclosed this on Friday during a meeting with affected residents and statutory title holders following the submission of the final report by the Committee on House Numbering and Identification of Statutory Plots.
He said the resolution process was part of ongoing efforts to promote fairness, transparency, and orderliness in land administration across Maiduguri and its environs.
Engr. Bababe explained that the agency had adopted a set of guidelines for regularisation. Structures found on designated access roads, he said, would be regularised upon payment of applicable penalties and land charges.
He also clarified that fenced plots illegally occupied would be returned to their rightful statutory owners, while unclaimed plots or houses must be formally processed to establish ownership and prevent future encroachment.
“For individuals whose buildings are on plots with known statutory owners, reconciliation is mandatory before verification and documentation,” he said, adding that unresolved disputes must be settled in court as BOGIS will not mediate in personal matters.
He stressed that only those with valid Powers of Attorney would be recognized as legitimate owners and urged all affected parties to regularise their documents before the end of October 2025.
Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Babagana Hassan, revealed that the committee successfully numbered about 1,900 houses in the layout, identifying developed, underdeveloped, and encroached plots.
He advised all affected residents to take advantage of the current window to formalise their land status with BOGIS to avoid complications in the future.
An affected resident, Mr. Maina Mustapha, commended BOGIS for its transparent and consultative approach in resolving the land issues, noting that the agency had engaged with the community in a fair and peaceful manner.
