The Citizens Advocacy for Social & Economic Rights (CASER) has formally petitioned the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to take immediate action against a surge in fraudulent land deals within the Federal Capital Territory.
In a statement released on Tuesday sent to Persecondnews in Abuja, CASER Executive Director Frank Tietie raised the alarm over unlicensed vendors who openly market thousands of plots and “estate projects” via street solicitation and social media.
Despite price tags in the tens of millions of naira, these offers frequently lack authentic title documents or official clearance from the FCTA.
Tietie warned that these transactions are often built on forged paperwork and empty guarantees, designed to lure unsuspecting buyers into paying for legally non-existent properties.
“What we are witnessing is a coordinated pattern of consumer exploitation. Unscrupulous land vendors are taking advantage of regulatory gaps to defraud Nigerians of their life savings under the guise of property ownership,” CASER stated.
“Those who fall victim are typically left holding worthless papers, dragged into endless court disputes, and often pulled into police investigations and expensive legal battles with almost no prospect of recovering their hard-earned cash,” the statement added.
The situation threatens not only individual buyers but also the broader public’s faith in Nigeria’s real estate industry and the credibility of land administration systems in the FCT.
Drawing directly on the powers contained in the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018, the group has pressed the commission to act immediately and decisively to stop the scams and defend consumers.
It specifically called for the development and strict enforcement of regulatory standards covering the advertisement and sale of land and real estate; the mandatory full disclosure of title status and all required approvals in every property transaction.
“The creation of a transparent verification system in partnership with the FCTA so buyers can confirm authenticity before purchase; the introduction of licensing and accreditation rules for every land vendor and estate developer operating in Abuja
“The launch of nationwide public awareness drives on the dangers of unverified land deals; and the thorough investigation and prosecution of all individuals and entities running fraudulent land marketing operations,” the statement added.
CASER further called on the commission to collaborate with digital platforms and other relevant authorities to monitor and regulate the flood of misleading property advertisements circulating online.
“The protection of consumers in Nigeria must extend to the real estate sector. The current situation, if left unchecked, will continue to erode public trust and expose citizens to devastating financial losses,” the organization said.
Confronting land fraud in Abuja is therefore not simply a consumer-protection issue but a vital move toward reinforcing governance, transparency and the rule of law in the country’s urban development framework, it said.
The group reaffirmed its resolve to pursue every lawful channel—including continued regulatory engagement and potential legal action—to ensure Nigerians are fully protected from economic exploitation within the real estate market.
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