Family accuses Nasarawa gov’t of land grab, petitions IGP

The Iyakoyi family of New Nyanya, Karu Local Government of Nasarawa State has accused the state government of alleged land grab and disregard to a court judgement. Aso Chronicle learnt that the land dispute between the family and the state government has dragged for six years in court. It is over a piece of land, […]

The Iyakoyi family of New Nyanya, Karu Local Government of Nasarawa State has accused the state government of alleged land grab and disregard to a court judgement.

Aso Chronicle learnt that the land dispute between the family and the state government has dragged for six years in court. It is over a piece of land, referred to as the Peninsula, measuring about 92 hectares situated in Shadnawyi in NyanyaGwandara, Karu LGA.

The family, through their lawyers, have petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu, to restrain the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Nasarawa State and the Managing Director of the Nasarawa Urban Development Board, from using security agents to take possession of the land.

Barrister Yohanna Z.P. Agyere of Ogwuche A. Akogwu chambers, who wrote the petition on behalf of the family, stated that the High Court in Lafia, delivered judgment on the 6th of November, 2019, on the matter in favour of their clients where among other things, the Certificate of Occupancy No. 9036 and any other title issued anybody by the state government or any of its agencies were declared null and void.

It also set aside an order restraining the state government or any of its agencies or person (s) acting for or through the government from interfering with their clients’ land in any manner forthwith.

He said the family was dismayed when on 19th May, 2020 the attorney-general of the state led a delegation comprising of the Director General of Nasarawa Geographic Information Service, (NAGIS), Khalid Adamu, one of the witnesses in the matter when it was in court, and others not known to their clients, into their clients’ land in total contempt and disregard to the court order, claiming that he was not aware of the judgment delivered by the High Court on 6th day of November 2019 and equally warned the land owners on that day not to come close or else they shall be dealt with.

The petitioners also alleged that on the above-said conduct, they wrote to the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, through the Senior Special Assistant on Development Control dated May 22, 2020.

The lawyer alleged that despite the complaint to the governor, they were taken aback when on Sunday, the 28th June 2020 on, the instructions of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Nasarawa State, the Managing Director Nasarawa Urban Development Board (NUDB), a team of over 150 Mobile Police Force from MOPOL 38, Akwanga, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) trespassed into the land, threatened the owners and their family members and demolished several buildings belonging to the owners.

He said that it is about eight months now that the judgement was delivered, to the knowledge of the Attorney-General, that the said judgment has not, in any way, been challenged or appealed against.

“We are appealing to the IGP to use his good offices to not allow the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Managing Director NUDB, and/or any of their officers or agents to use his (IGP’s) officers or personnel to oppress the owners of the land who have the judgment in their favour as so doing will avert any impending breakdown of law and order,” he said.

The lawyers attached the judgement in suit No: NSD/MG 93/2013, court order, certificate of judgment, writ of possession, site plan showing the area covered by the judgment, and photographs of the demolition.

In his reaction, Nasarawa State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, DrAbdulkarim A. Kana said, “The Peninsula Estate is a planned layout within the greater Karu area of Nasarawa State and anybody planning to build there must obtain proper land titles and building permits.

These people are constructing without submitting requests for approvals and obtaining permits.

“The structures were removed pursuant to a court order. Some of them do not even have lands there; they are sponsored by a cartel of land grabbers in Mararaba who specialised in grabbing lands of innocent citizens and sometimes even government lands in collusion with some roadside lawyers, security agents and court officials.

“The present administration intends to remove every structure built without building approval whether fully completed or under construction unless the owners respect the law and do the needful.

“The NUDB office is always open. For those who claim that the government demolished their illegal structures in Peninsula Estate, the government assures them that it will be removed a hundred times more unless they respect the law.

“There is too much lawlessness in the Karu and Mararaba areas with many people who settled there from God knows where, feeling as if they are above the law. Nobody is above the law and they are too small to intimidate the government.

“Government will do its job for the welfare, security and general good of the people of Nasarawa State. We are a people regulated by law,” Kana added.