Farmers in Haskiya Village of Damau District in Kubau Local Government Area of Kaduna State have petitioned the state government, police, and Department of State Security (DSS) over alleged land seizure and extortion by an individual in their community.
The farmers said they had been farming on their farmlands situated within the community for over 50 years without interference from anybody until recently.
The petition, dated June 28, 2024, addressed to the state governor, Senator Uba Sani, police commissioner, and Director of DSS, was written by Mamman Nasir and Co, Head of Chambers, Solomon Utuagha, on behalf of the farmers.
In the letter, the farmers claimed that one Shehu Damau, who purported to be an employee of Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS), accompanied by armed police officers, stormed their village and threatened anyone found on the farmland.
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“He brought out a Certificate of Occupancy issued in the name of the Honorable Speaker of the House of Representatives and told the villagers (our clients) that the said farmland belongs to the speaker and that anyone found there without registering with him would be dealt with,” the letter read.
The farmers asserted that they had been paying their respective dues to the Ministry of Environment prior to the invasion and trespass by Shehu Damau.
The lands in question are located at Bugau North Forest Reserve, and Gauraki Forest Reserve, all within Damau District. The community expressed doubts that Speaker Tajudeen Abbas is aware of the situation in the village.
They called on the state government and all relevant authorities to investigate and intervene to restore peace in the village and prevent any breakdown of law and order, urging the return of their land.
However, Dr Zakaria Shehu Damau, when contacted, denied all allegations of extortion, trespass, and destruction of farmlands.
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