Jol community calls for stay of legitimization of land grabbing

Jol community calls for stay of legitimization of land grabbing

The people of Jol community of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, has called on the Federal Government through the office of the Senior Assistant to President on SDGs (OSSAP-SDGS) in a petition calling for stay of legitimization of land grabbing in Riyom LGA of the State. 

A petition made available to this medium said, Reference is hereby made to the above subject matter, Jol Community Development Association (hereinafter referred to as ‘’JOCDA”) hereby complains and states as follows:

Petition Calling for Stay of Legitimization of Land Grabbed in Riyom LGA of Plateau State

Post Author: ECCVN (Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria

JOL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

Our Ref:___________ Your Ref:_________ 

Date: 22-06-2020

THE OFFICE OF THE SENIOR ASSISTANT TO

THE PRESIDENT ON SDGs (OSSAP-SDGS),

SUITE 201 FLOOR, BLOCK A,

FEDERAL SECRETARIAT COMPLEX PHASE 2,

SHEHU SHAGARI WAY, ABUJA.

Sir,

COMPLAINT OVER CONSTRUCTION AND FURNISHING OF 2 Nos 12 CLASSROOMS BLOCK WITH VIP TOILETS AT RANKUM (ARDO MAMUDA PRIMARY SCHOOL  MAHANGA VILLAGE), RIYOM LGA, PLATEAU STATE; A CALL FOR STAY OF LEGITIMIZATION OF LAND GRABBED

Reference is hereby made to the above subject matter, Jol Community Development Association (hereinafter referred to as ‘’JOCDA”) hereby complains and states as follows:

1.        That Jol Community is one of the 8 Wards that constitute Riyom District of Riyom Local Government Area, Plateau State.

2.      That prior to terror attacks meted on it by suspected armed Fulani militia, JOCDA had 16 hamlets which were Dakar, Daku, Danjol, Darel, Darin, Darwat, Davwak, Fass, Hywa, Lotton, Rankum (Mahanga), Rot-Chun (Rafin-Acha), Tanjol, Tarai, Tashek I & 2, but now reduced to 7 by displacements of inhabitants of- Dakar, Daku, Darel, Darin, Davwak, Fass, Hywa, Rankum (Mahanga), Rot-Chun (Rafin-Acha) and Tashek 2 as a result of unabated terror attacks from 2001 to date.

3.      That 3 of the remaining 7 hamlets have been partly displaced excluding Lotton, which recently returned after a total displacement in 2014.

4.      That the Community has lost over 140 native inhabitants, hundreds injured, thousands displaced, valuables worth Millions of Naira to the Fulani’s continued aggression and mischievous grazing daily visited on the surviving natives. Pitiably, vast lands of the host community (Jol) has been forcefully taken over and occupied by the Fulani thereby impoverishing the victims whose economic potency crippled.

5.            Among the hamlets completely sacked and taken over by the attackers is Rankum, which has          been renamed “Mahanga village”, where your good offices sited a project of “Construction          and Furnishing 12 Classrooms Block with VIP Toilets”, an action that informed this petition.

6.      Surprisingly, the project was contracted and executed without due consultation with either the traditional ruler of Jol community, District Head of Riyom LGA, His Majesty, the Gbong Gwom Jos and Chairman Traditional Council of Plateau State, Local Government Council or other critical stakeholders for their information and input which would have cautioned as well as guided against siting such on land grabbed by way of armed invasions, especially as the sacked inhabitants are very much alive.

7.       That JOCDA has tirelessly been calling on appropriate authorities to come to its aid with the aim of regaining possession of the land grabbed (Rankum inclusive) precipitated by terror attacks as veritable tool for acquisition of land contrary to stipulated statutory provisions, but to no avail.

8.      Note also that the speed at which the construction was done within a very short time raises a lot of suspicion that the fact of this development was being railroaded in order to foist a fait accompli on the local community. 

9.      Going by the above sad developments, it’s deducible that the rationale behind the continued attacks on Jol and its environs is no other than ethnic cleansing and territorial expansionist agenda of the Fulani which has become routine atrocious circle ceaselessly being meted out for brazen attraction of privileges from your office and other Government institutions/agencies.

10.    In the last 2 years, there were incessant aggressions on daily basis. Consequently, loss of lives and properties with attendant traumatic experiences became the order of the day, leaving the locals in a state of deep fear of another armed attack that is currently looming up in recent times, immeasurable distorted livelihood and social realities as a well perpetual fear arising.