A Nigerian lawyer, Dammy Esquire, has issued a strong warning to Nigerians, urging them to stop entrusting their land documents to pastors, friends, or relatives, no matter how trustworthy they seem.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), the lawyer explained that many people have lost their properties due to misplaced trust.
He advised that land papers should be treated as legal power, not just ordinary documents.
According to Dammy, in court proceedings, the law gives attention to whoever presents the documents first, not the person with the most emotional story.
He noted that many people have wept after discovering that those they trusted either misplaced or used their land papers for fraudulent activities.
He wrote, “Stop giving your land papers to your pastor or that distant relative you trust so much. Land documents are power, not just paper.”
The lawyer further highlighted several excuses people often hear when their documents go missing, such as “I don’t remember where I kept it” or “Something happened to it.” Others, he said, may even use the papers to obtain loans or secretly sell the land.
Dammy urged landowners to prioritise proper storage of their documents, recommending bank safe deposit boxes or fireproof lockers for security.
He also advised keeping certified true copies at home and additional copies with their lawyers, who are legally bound by confidentiality.
He concluded by saying, “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.”
