The protesters brandished placards and converged on the site with inscriptions including “Gov AA Sule Leave Our Land”; “Stop Invasion and Unlawful Demolition of Our Houses.”
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Danjuma Dauda Shazhimi said officials of Nasarawa State Development Control invaded the community with a bulldozer and armed policemen, pulling down over 30 houses, which he said belonged to natives of the area.
He alleged that over 200 hectares of their ancestral land, which he said belonged to the Iyakoji family of Nyanya – Gbagyi, had been taken over by the state government despite a High Court order restraining them from invading and trespassing on the land.
“There was a court judgement (we have a copy) that restrained the state government from invading and trespassing on our ancestral land,” he said.
Shazhimi said despite giving out 100 hectares of land to the state government, the officials went ahead to demolish their houses.
A widow and mother of four who is a victim, Mrs. Faith Solomon, wept profusely. She said she built the house after her husband died some years ago but was shocked to receive a phone call that her house had been pulled down.
