Lawyer Warns Nigerians: Stop Giving Land Documents to Pastors and Relatives

A Nigerian lawyer, Dammy Esquire, has issued a strong warning to property owners, advising them to stop handing over their land documents to pastors, friends, or relatives — no matter how trustworthy they appear.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Dammy explained that countless people have lost their properties due to misplaced trust. He emphasized that land papers are legal proof of ownership and should never be treated as ordinary documents.

According to him, in legal disputes, the courts prioritize whoever can produce valid ownership documents, not those with emotional or moral claims. He revealed that many people have suffered heartbreak after discovering that trusted individuals either misplaced their documents or used them for fraudulent purposes, such as securing loans or selling the land without consent.

Dammy wrote, “Stop giving your land papers to your pastor or that distant relative you trust so much. Land documents are power, not just paper.” He also mocked the common excuses people give when asked about missing documents, such as “I don’t remember where I kept it” or “It got lost somehow.”

The lawyer urged Nigerians to secure their land documents properly by storing the originals in safe deposit boxes or fireproof lockers. He also recommended keeping certified true copies at home and with their lawyers, who are legally bound by confidentiality.

Concluding his advice, Dammy stated, “Your pastor can pray for your land, but he shouldn’t keep the documents. In the eyes of the law, ownership is proven by paper, not trust.”