Some residents of Shadawanka community surrounding two Army Barracks in Bauchi state came out in their numbers to protest the alleged forceful eviction and confiscation of their ancestral land, houses and farmlands by the Bauchi Emirate Council and the Nigerian Army.
The protesters took over the busy Bauchi-Jos road carrying placards with inscription such as ‘Save Shadawanka community from Nigeria Army’, ‘Save Shadawanka community from Bauchi Emirate Council’, ‘Save Shadawanka community from Land Grabbers’.
The protesters, made up of men, women and children, were chanting solidarity songs and calling on the Bauchi State government to come to their aid over the forceful dislodgement from their ancestral home.
This incident left travelers and other road users stranded for over five hours.
It however took the intervention of Brigadier General Marcus Yake (rtd), the Security Adviser to the Bauchi State Governor, who appealed with the protesters to open the road with the condition that the government and all stakeholders would meet to resolve the matter within 24 hours.
The village head of the community, Haliru Abubakar speaking to the newsmen, said the people have lived in the area for over 200 years, long before the establishment of the army barracks.
“Why should someone just wake up one day and ask these communities to vacate their ancestral land?” he asked.
Abubakar also alleged that the Bauchi Emirate Council was behind the move to eject them from their land, saying “We have not been summoned to the palace on the matter but who are we to challenge the authority. All we are asking for is fairness and justice.”
Also, a protester, Habibu Suleiman, said the problem started during the Gowon administration, 1972-74, when Shadawanka barracks was built.
He said, “They have been living there and the barracks is separated from the communities. But between 1982 and 1985, a part of Shadawanka was demarcated to be used as Shadawanka barracks and Obienu barracks, and the communities did not in any way form part of the two barracks.
“In 2019, a memorandum of understanding was prepared by the Bauchi Emirate Council and some members of the community were forced to sign the document without their knowledge since they were illiterates.
“On Friday, the representative of the emirate and the representative of the army asked the communities to vacate the land because the army wants to fence it for security reasons,” he said.
“But as citizens of Nigeria, the constitution guarantees our right to ownership of our land. Some communities were paid compensation, but they didn’t pay us. How can they eject us from our land? They said since the matter came up some time ago, even the army confirmed that they didn’t pay us a kobo since during Gowon administration.”
However, efforts to reach the Public Relations Officer of 33 Artillery Brigade Bauchi, Major Yahaya Kabara, proved abortive.
The Information Officer of Bauchi Emirate Council, Babangida Hassan Jahun, when contacted said “I am not aware of protest but please give me time to consult with the council officials to respond appropriately.”
