Farmers have appealed to Governor Uba Sani to intervene and prevent the confiscation of their farmlands by a company in the Gubuchi area of Makarfi Local Government Area in Kaduna State.
Malam Idris Abdullahi Gibuchi, a leader of the affected farmers, made the plea while addressing journalists in Kaduna. He accused the company of attempting to take over their land for sugarcane cultivation despite the fact it has been in their possession for over 40 years, passed down from their parents and grandparents.
“We inherited the farm from our parents and grandparents who are the original owners of the land. We have been cultivating it for over 40 years, but to our surprise, some government officials during the last administration directed us to vacate the farms for onward submission to a private company for sugarcane farming,” Malam Idris alleged.
He emphasised that the farmers had been dutifully paying taxes to the government. Malam Idris expressed concern that if the land is confiscated, it would subject the owners to significant hardship.
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In response to questions regarding any official documentation from the government mandating the farmers to vacate the farmlands, Malam Idris clarified that there was no such directive. However, he mentioned that they had initiated legal action, resulting in a court order instructing the company to cease any attempt to confiscate the Gubuchi farmlands.