The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, has raised alarm over what it described as crippling delays, sabotage, and entrenched corruption at the Lagos State Lands Registry, Alausa.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Lands, the Branch lamented that lawyers and other stakeholders have been subjected to untold hardship due to the inefficiency of the registry.
Signed by the Branch Chairman, Adeniyi Quadri, and Secretary, Ayodeji O. Olabiwonnu, the protest letter traced the escalation of the current troubles in the Bureau to its migration to the “Aumentum Platform,” a digital platform introduced to ease land transactions, saying it has instead worsened the situation.
According to the lawyers, routine transactions such as filing documents, obtaining charting assessments, or securing enforcement approvals now drag on endlessly. They alleged that some officials exploit the bottlenecks to extort desperate applicants, particularly at the Ministry’s MTN Building, with promises of fast-tracking the processing of files.
The NBA Ikeja further condemned what it called “artificial hurdles,” noting that the registry currently opens to the public only three days a week—Tuesdays to Thursdays, from 12 pm to 4 pm—and operates a restrictive “tag system” that further frustrates access to the Bureau’s services.
“The present situation is an affront to the principles of transparency and professionalism,” the association stated, warning that the inefficiency has reached a ridiculous level that can no longer be excused or justified.
The association, however, said its protest was consistent with its “3C’s” engagement strategy: Communication, Consolidation before Confrontation. It demanded a clear and comprehensive roadmap from the ministry within seven working days, spelling out concrete steps to address the crisis.
The Branch declared its readiness to work with the government particularly the Bureau to fashion a transparent solution, but warned that failure to act promptly would leave it with no choice but to embark on systematic advocacy and peaceful protest, including picketing the Lands Bureau.
Copies of the protest letter were also sent to the Media and Civil Society Organizations.
In a swift response to the letter which was dated the 30th of September, 2025, the Lands Bureau in its reply dated 2nd October, 2025 has now invited the NBA Ikeja for a meeting “to enable parties deliberate on the issues raised and to explore ways by which they may be effectively resolved”.
The-Permanent-Secretary-