Residents of Kaibo Mada community in Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State have taken to the streets in a peaceful protest against what they describe as attempts by traditional rulers to seize their ancestral lands.
The demonstrators, comprising men and women from the community, marched through Keffi town carrying placards and leaves while chanting songs that called for government intervention in the matter.
According to the protesters, traditional leaders from Bagaji and the Keffi Emirate are attempting to take over farmlands and plots which the residents claim have been passed down to them through generations.
One of the protesters, Malam Salihu Musa, expressed his frustration: "This land is our inheritance from our fathers, yet there's now an attempt to take it from us without justification. We call on Governor Engineer Abdullahi Sule to step in and defend our rights."
Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim, an elderly woman among the protesters, voiced her concerns about the potential impact on their livelihoods. "If our farmlands are taken from us, how will we feed our children? This is unjust, and we will not back down until the government takes action," she stated.
The community emphasized that the lands in question are crucial to their survival as they depend on them for farming and income generation. They have appealed to the Nasarawa State Government and the Land Management Authority to intervene by halting all attempts to seize their lands pending a thorough investigation that would allow the villagers to present their case.
When journalists visited the Keffi Emirate Palace to get the Emir's response to these allegations, His Royal Highness Dr. Cindo Yamusa was reportedly away on a condolence visit to Nasarawa town. The Emir's interim secretary, Malam Yakubu, promised that a statement would be issued once the Emir returns.
This incident adds to growing concerns about land grabbing across Nigeria, where traditional institutions sometimes find themselves at odds with communities over land ownership and usage rights.
As of the time of reporting, the Nasarawa State Government has yet to issue an official response to the community's plea for intervention.
