The Edo Geographic Information Service (Edo GIS) has dismissed viral reports alleging that a 17-year-old boy purchased 14,000 hectares of land in the state, describing the story as false and mischievous.

A social media post had claimed that Governor Monday Okpebholo suspended the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) after discovering the alleged land purchase.

However, in a statement signed on Monday by its Director of Press, Tunde Egbiremonlen, Edo GIS clarified that no such transaction exists in its records and stressed that a 17-year-old, being a minor, cannot legally own or register land in Edo State.

“The Edo GIS system will automatically reject such applications due to age restrictions,” the statement read. “In the first place, a 17-year-old cannot apply for registration of land in Edo State because he is a minor; the Edo GIS system will automatically reject the application. To compound the rumour, the peddlers of the story did not specify where in Edo such 14,000 hectares were allegedly purchased.”

The agency urged the public to disregard the false claim, alleging that it was being circulated by individuals who had spent large sums to spread misinformation.

Governor Okpebholo has recently introduced reforms to strengthen land administration in the state, including the revocation of a contract with a private firm previously managing the C of O software.