Residents of Tungan Maje community, near Zuba, Abuja, have called on the government to protect their land and property from encroachment by the Nigerian Army.
The residents, last week, marched in their hundreds to the office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, the National Assembly and Ministers’ Quarters to protest what they termed as an “act of intimidation and flagrant disobedience of court order by the Nigerian Army.”
In a petition submitted to the justice minister, the community members claimed they were “facing constant and consistent intimidation, harassment and extortion by the army whose claim to the land is not legal.”
The community leader, Alhaji Muhammad Jibrin, said the Nigerian Army issued them quit notice on their land, despite the fact that there was a subsisting court order restraining the Army from harassing, intimidating and taking any further action on the land, pending the outcome of the case in court.
He said the area in dispute was known as Zuba II, Gwagwalada Area Council, and was allocated to individuals, companies and government institutions such as customary and area courts. He said the same area accommodated Federal Road Safety Corps, Zuba office, Zuba Police Station and Federal College of Education, Zuba.
The petition also listed five companies operating in the area that have valid land titles but were now issued with a notice to quit by the Nigerian Army. Also served with same quit notice was the FCT College of Education (Main Campus) and the Police Divisional Headquarters, Zuba, in a notice dated September 1, 2016.
While acknowledging the socio-economic development these companies and government institutions brought to the community, Jibrin called on the FCT Minister and National Assembly to come to the aid of the community before the Nigerian Army rendered them homeless.
Members of the community were seen with banners and placards with inscriptions such as: “Nigerian Army, how can we be tenants in our land,” “We are not illegal occupants” and “FCT Minister, tell Nigerian Army to leave our lands.”
An official of the Ministry of J Justice who received the petition on behalf of the minister, said the ministry would look into the matter and provide lasting solution.
