Brothel Built In Primary School Uncovered, Sealed

By Peter Dansu  The Edo State Government has uncovered a shocking case of encroachment—a brothel built within the premises of a public prim...

By Peter Dansu 

The Edo State Government has uncovered a shocking case of encroachment—a brothel built within the premises of a public primary school in Esan West Local Government Area. The facility has since been sealed by authorities.

Eugene Okolosie, State Coordinator for the Protection of Government Property, disclosed this during a press briefing held on Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Benin City. He revealed that over 2,000 plots of government land have also been reclaimed from illegal occupants.

According to Okolosie, an alarming number of properties—over 150,000 houses across the state—are currently standing on government land. He urged citizens interested in acquiring land to seek proper clearance from the Edo Geographic Information Service (EdoGIS) to avoid falling victim to land grabbers.

“We’ve seen extensive encroachment on government property,” he said. “About seven percent of the historic Benin moat has been taken over. Public schools, in particular, have suffered the most.”

He cited Ambrose Alli University as one of the institutions where land grabbers had illegally occupied large portions of land. “The community informed us that their signatures were forged in land transactions. We acted swiftly and have since recovered about 90 percent of the affected land, including portions allocated to schools,” he said.

Okolosie also gave further insight into the brothel scandal. “At Ujuele Primary School, a brothel was shockingly erected within the school premises. We’ve sealed off the place. The state government is now in discussions about converting such misused properties for appropriate public use.”

He added that in Iyoba community, locals took it upon themselves to divide school land, selling off half to private individuals. “We found that a kitchen was set up right next to a classroom. Imagine students trying to concentrate with the smell of stew wafting through the air. It’s unacceptable, and we’re actively investigating the matter. Those suspected of involvement have been summoned.”

The government’s agency, he said, has received more than 3,000 petitions in just two months from various communities, all relating to illegal acquisition and misuse of government property. He assured the public that recovery efforts are ongoing and offenders will be held accountable.