IMO STATE GOVERNMENT ISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDER ON ABANDONED AND MISUSED PROPERTIES.

By Prince Uwalaka Chimaroke
7-OCT-2025

The Imo State Government has issued a decisive directive aimed at restoring order, security, and proper urban development within the Control Bridge axis and its surrounding areas.

According to an Executive Order by His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Imo State, property owners whose lands or buildings have been left undeveloped or are being used for criminal or illicit purposes are hereby mandated to take immediate corrective action.

The directive, which comes as part of the state’s renewed effort to curb rising cases of insecurity and unauthorized land use within Owerri and its environs, instructs all affected property owners to commence meaningful development on their plots within 21 days from the date of the order. It also emphasizes that all lands and properties must be cleared of illegal occupants, shanties, and nefarious activities that pose a threat to public peace and environmental aesthetics.

The government’s stance, as outlined in the order, is firm: failure to comply with this directive within the stipulated timeframe will lead to revocation of ownership rights and repossession by the state in accordance with existing land and urban development laws.

The statement, dated October 6, 2025, was signed by Chinasa Nwaneri, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Monitoring and Compliance, Office of the Governor, Imo State.