Gov Okpebholo Signs Landmark Laws, 10-Year Jail Term for Forceful Entry into Edo Govt Property

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has signed into law two landmark legislations, the Edo State Public Property Protection Law, 2025, and the Customary Court of Appeal (Re-establishment) Law, 2025, marking a major stride in his administration’s reforms to protect public assets and strengthen the justice system.

The new Public Property Protection Law prescribes up to ten years’ imprisonment for anyone found guilty of violent or forceful entry into state-owned property, while unauthorised sale or transfer of government assets now attracts a five-year jail term.

Governor Okpebholo, while assenting to the laws, said the legal reforms demonstrate his administration’s zero tolerance for corruption, impunity, and misuse of public assets.

“Public property belongs to the people of Edo State, not to individuals. This law ensures that no one, no matter how highly placed, can appropriate government property for personal gain,” he declared.

The law establishes the Edo State Public Property Protection Committee, a statutory body empowered to safeguard, recover, and prevent encroachment on public properties across the state. The committee will work with law enforcement agencies to seal, recover, and prosecute illegal occupants or those involved in fraudulent land dealings.

Professionals who aid or abet such illegal transactions face not only prosecution but also disciplinary actions from their professional bodies. False petitions and fraudulent claims concerning government land will equally attract stiff penalties.

In a parallel move, the Customary Court of Appeal (Re-establishment) Law, 2025, reconstitutes the Court as a superior court of record, restoring its jurisdiction over civil cases involving customary law, chieftaincy disputes, and traditional stool matters.

The Court’s President will be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and subject to confirmation by the State House of Assembly. Six other judges with at least ten years of post-call experience in customary law will also serve on the bench.

To uphold judicial independence, the salaries and allowances of the Court’s judges are to be charged directly on the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Edo State.

Governor Okpebholo described the re-establishment of the Customary Court of Appeal as “a reaffirmation of Edo’s commitment to accessible justice, respect for traditional values, and fidelity to the Constitution.”

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice hailed the new laws as “critical instruments for institutional renewal and the protection of Edo’s moral and material heritage,” adding that they signal a new era of accountability and judicial integrity in the State.