Gombe Agency Uncovers Illegal Conversion Of Access Roads Into Plots

The Gombe Geographic Information Systems (GOGIS) says it has uncovered alleged irregularities in past land allocations involving the conversion of designated access roads and utility corridors into residential plots.

Director-General of the agency, Kabiru Usman Hassan, disclosed this in Gombe on Thursday.

According to Hassan, a verification exercise conducted under the Gombe Capital Special Development Zone (GCSDZ) revealed that some former officials of the defunct Ministry of Lands and Survey allegedly collaborated with land speculators to create and sell plots on designated access roads and in other restricted areas.

He said the alleged illegal conversions were identified across GDP/16, GDP/12 and GDP/5 layouts.

“The exercise revealed that some unscrupulous officials, in collaboration with land speculators, illegally converted designated access roads into plots and sold them to unsuspecting members of the public,” Hassan said.

He explained that the findings emerged from an audit and verification exercise conducted by the Project Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Committee, which identified longstanding distortions in land administration practices.

The GOGIS director-general said affected individuals who acquired the plots in good faith have been identified and recommended for alternative plot allocations at Shongo Gardens Layout.

He added that Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has approved immediate collaboration between GOGIS and the Gombe State Urban Planning and Development Authority to restore blocked access roads and strengthen enforcement of development control in the affected areas.

Hassan stressed that the exercise was not intended to punish residents but to restore planning order, protect public infrastructure and safeguard the long-term integrity of the state capital.