"Buying any land or property in Lagos requires due diligence and before you make payment, here are the documents you should ask for”....

There are thousands of people selling lands in Lagos, from real estate companies, estate agents, omonile, individuals etc.

Buying any land or property in Lagos requires due diligence and before you make payment, here are the documents you should ask for.

Now, before I list these documents, remember that all these documents will be in the former owner or owners name and when you get it and its not the person or a confirmed representative you are discussing with. Then you need to take to your heels. Run.

These documents that should be a prove of ownership of that land or property will mean nothing if they where illegally obtained or fakes.

For example, if Mr John Nwosu is selling you a land or property that he claims its his and the document doesn’t have his name or at least his surname on it (in a case it was inherited or he bought it in his wife or child’s name), that should be your first tell sign.

If an estate agent or omonile is trying to sell you a land on behalf of the owner/owners, then you would need to confirm the documents are genuine.

Now what document can you request to prove that a property or land is genuinely owned by the individual or group of individuals that claims to own it?

1. Survey Plan: Most lands sold in Lagos has this particular document and it carries the name of the owner and more importantly the coordinates of the Land. You can check for the validity of this document at the surveyor generals office or snap and send to your surveyor friend.

2. Deed of Assignment or Conveyance: This document can help you trace the history of how a property or land has reached the present owner. It relates all the information in respect of the true owners of the land before it was passed on or bought by Mr A and how MR A sold it to Mr B and How Mr B intend to sell it to you. The Department of Lands Bureau can help you to confirm this.

3. Certificate of Occupancy: This is government issued document and although it can also be forged by scamming individuals, its actually the most authentic way to prove that a seller is the true owner of that property. When a seller has an authentic C of O, you should rest easy.

These 3 documents can easily be trace at their respective issuing offices for their authenticity.

So, what should you do when a seller gives you all three documents and they all pan out to be genuine? You got yourself a sweet scam-proof land/property. Pay up.