Tension as youths demolish houses in Jos community

There was tension in the East of Bauchi Ring Road community of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State following the demolition of some houses in the area by some youths.

On February 18 and 19, angry youths in their numbers stormed the said community and demolished some of the houses being built in the area on the ground that the land was not legally acquired, a development that sparked tension between Anaguta and residents of the affected community.

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The chairman of East of Bauchi Ring Road Title Holders and Owners Forum, Haruna Garba Abbas, who accused members of the Anaguta community of demolishing the houses, described the action as an attempt to cause ethno-religious conflict in the state.

The chairman said: “The entire land was initially acquired by the then Northern government from the Anaguta community as far back as 1924 as Bauchi Forest Reserve (N0. 2 Naraguta Forest Reserve) by order published in Gazette No. 29 of 5th June, 1924.

“The area acquired by the government covered 489.2 hectares. However, as a result of the lack of land for development, especially residential houses in Jos, the Naraguta Forest Reserve was de-gazetted in 1985 by the Plateau State government, and the entire Forest Reserve was de-reserved by the Plateau State government under Col. Lawrence Onoja in 1987. The area was a layout and certificates of Rights of Occupancy were issued out to successful beneficiaries for building, “ he added.

Reacting to the development, however, the National President of the Anaguta, Sunday Bunu, who confirmed that he was aware of the demolition, said the action of the youths  followed the realisation of encroachment of their land by some individuals who connived with some members of Anaguta to sell plots of land in the area, adding that in tradition, land was not sold so long as their parents were alive.

He said: “In the first place, it is forbidden to sell off the land when your parents are alive and most of the people who sold off the lands, their parents are alive. So the land was acquired illegally. We have gone to court and won the case.”

Benue/Plateau Trust reports that following the incident, a committee has been set up by the state government to investigate the matter.