Author(s): ANUGBUM ONUOHA PH.D | Vol. 22 (1) April, 2025
Abstract
In Nigeria, land grabbing and forced evictions have become urgent problems with significant adverse social, economic, and human rights impacts on affected people. This article examines the pressing issues of forced evictions and land grabbing in Nigeria, which have significant social, economic, and human rights repercussions for affected populations. The country’s rapid urbanisation, population growth, and infrastructure development projects have sparked land ownership and access conflicts. Marginalised groups, indigenous communities, and vulnerable populations have suffered disproportionately as a result of arbitrary land seizures and evictions made possible by colonial-era land policies and inadequate legal frameworks. This article uses doctrinal methodology to examine Nigeria’s legal framework governing land rights, tenure systems, and eviction processes. Through a comprehensive analysis of domestic and international legal instruments, it underscores the intricate web of legal norms shaping land governance and conflicts. Findings revealed the urgent need for legislative reforms and policy interventions to safeguard affected individuals’ rights and ensure offenders’ accountability. It recommended legislative reforms to strengthen legal protections for land rights and tenure security while establishing robust mechanisms for holding perpetrators of land grabbing and forced evictions accountable. In conclusion, this article sheds light on the intricate legal implications of land grabbing and forced evictions in Nigeria, revealing their profound social, economic, and human rights implications.