‘Law backs it’- Lawyer, Stan Alieke advises homeless people to move into vacant houses
Abuja-based lawyer, Stan Alieke, has stirred controversy by advising homeless people to find any vacant property and move in, claiming that long-term occupancy can make them legal owners.
He bases this on the legal principle of adverse possession.
Adverse possession allows someone to claim legal ownership of land or property if they have: Openly occupied it, continuously lived there, done so without the owner’s permission, and maintained such possession for a legally specified period (usually 12 years in Nigeria).
Experts, however, opine that the law does not mean anyone can immediately become the owner by simply moving in.
“It’s a complex legal process and only applies under very specific conditions.
Encouraging people to occupy property this way may lead to legal consequences, including trespassing charges.
Therefore, while adverse possession exists in Nigerian law, Stan Alieke’s interpretation oversimplifies the concept and could mislead vulnerable individuals,” an expert opined.
