BY AUSTIN AJAYI, YOLA – About 30 Communities in Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State are up in arms against the Chairman of the Council, Hon. Juda Amisah over allegation of selling their farm lands.
The concerned communities revealed this at a press conference in Yola, the State capital after visiting the State House of Assembly.
The residents of the communities that earlier stage a peaceful protest over what they described as the “indiscriminate sales of farmlands by Amisah, stressed that the lands in question are individual farmlands for the use of poor people who are mostly farmers.
Leading the protest to the State House of Assembly, Mr Ahijo Yakubu on behalf of the communities accused Amisah of allegedly selling 10 hectres of land to a Ward Counselor, while another 500 hectres has been demarcated for sale.
Yakubu further said; “We officially complained to the State Assembly against Chairman of Girei LGC, whose policies are anti-people and misleading the state government in respect of our ancestral farmlands.
“The council Boss, is in the habit of selling our land to some group and we are been threatened.”
The protesters communities therefore urged the State House of Assembly to revoke the lands which is the only means of livelihood of the people of the communities.
The protester numbering over 40 comprising of men, women and youths displayed placards with inscriptions; ‘No to sales of our ancestral lands, ‘Return back our 500 hecters of land’.
Yakubu listed the affected communities to include, Gawu, Sauro, Daudo, Mokawu, Walare and Surutu among others.
When contacted, the Chairman of Girei LGA, Hon. Juda Amisah said on telephone that the farmlands in question were demarcated as Government Reserved Area.
Amisah urged the protesting communities to verify their claims with the State Ministry of Environment, Land and Survey.
