The Hausa Christian Development Initiative (HACDI), has expressed serious concerns over what it described as the escalating situation over land dispute and clear religious discrimination in Dogon Fako, Anguwan Tsirya, Kankaru, Anguwan Chiroma, all in Danlawal domain in Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State
The HACDI specifically accused the Village head Alhaji Sani Sambo Mohammed of forcefully seizing four farm lands totalling over 40 hectares which Mr. Ishaya Jarmai and other villagers legally acquired through purchase.
It averred that while its members stand firmly for the rule of law and the dignity of all citizens regardless of faith or status, it however noted that the action Sani Sambo Mohammed was clearly based on religious discrimination against Mr. Ishaya Jarmai, who is known to be a peaceful Hausa Christian farmer.
A statement by Dr. Daniel Musa, President of the Hausa Christian Development Initiative, said that the HACDI found it absolutely necessary to bring the urgent matter to public attention as a result of the serious human rights violations and religious discrimination involved.
Dr Musa said that the present four farm lands seized from Jarmai were in addition to the ones earlier ones also seized by the same district head of the area.
The President of the HACDI said that the action of the district head was in spite of the investigation by the DSS which was carried out through legal channels, with outcomes affirming that Mr. Ishaya Jarmai is the rightful owner of the said four farmlands.
According to Musa; “The village head has continued to manipulate the system with the support of certain individuals in higher authority. Shockingly, Sani Sambo Mohammed escalated the matter by forwarding it to the Emirate Council of Zazzau, claiming the land is a forest reserve (Haràba) a claim that is not backed by any verified documentation.
“Moreover, Mr. Ishaya and some of his family members were unjustly detained for several days in 2023 (in the police station and prison) and 2025 (in the Area command in Zaria) without due process.
“The family was also denied access to present their case before the Emir despite several attempts and petitions written. The village head brags that as long as certain influential people like the Wazirin Zazzau and the Sarkin Ayyuka in the emirate are alive, Mr Ishaya’s efforts to reclaim his land will never come to fruition,” the HACDI President said.
He also said that further investigations conducted by HACDI and independent sources, confirmed that the lands in question are not a forest reserve.
Dr Musa said that surprisingly, the district head, Mr. Sani Sambo Mohammed suddenly resulted to violence and intimidation by sending armed thugs to destroy farm produce worth millions of naira, and inflicting injuries on members of Mr. Ishaya’s family.
According to him; “This was in violation of a court order obtained on 10th July 2025, from the High Court of justice Dogarawa Zaria, where Sani Sambo and all his agents were restrained from going to any of the lands in question, pending the determination of the case.
“After this order, he mobilized his touts on 20th July 2025, where they went and upturned an already germinating maize and rice farms, beatings the hell out of some of Mr Ishaya Jarmai family members who were there to gather evidences of the crimes being committed.
“On the 21st July, they went back and uprooted a pepper farm, carting it away, and then upturning both the pepper and another soya beans farms again.
“These attacks have instilled fear in the surrounding villages, with threats issued that anyone who intervenes would face lethal consequences.
“After the incidence, the matter was reported to the Zaria area command where statements of victims were taken. After that, the police requested for money before arrests of the perpetrators can be made and after giving them the money, the police now said that the criminals will be invited the following Friday (5 days after the crime was committed).
“On the Thursday before the Friday, the police notified the victims that they won’t be able to do the case that Friday as they will be going for operation in Niger state, that the village head will be invited by the following Wednesday (10 days after the crime was committed), that the victims should come to the station that day.
“On Wednesday, the suspects refused to show up in the station and the victims were only told to exercise more patience, that now that neither Sani Sambo nor the other suspects appear in the station, that he (Sani Sambo) being the major actor, will be traced and arrested and by the time he is arrested, all other suspects will appear in the station.
“Thirteen days after, on 2nd August 2025, 13 days after the incidence) a motion on notice and an order enforcing fundamental human rights was served on the victims and the police, restraining any of them from initiating any arrest on any of the suspects pending hearing,” Musa stated.
The HACDI therefore demanded the urgent intervention by the relevant state and federal authorities to stop the illegal farming activities on the farm lands seized, and to stop the threats to the lives and other properties of the victims.
It also demanded for Justice for Mr. Ishaya Jarmai and all those affected, and the return of their legally-owned land as well as an investigation and prosecution of all individuals involved in the violence, abuse of power and flagrant violation of court orders.
HACDI particularly demanded the protection of minority communities in Dogon Fako, Anguwan Tsirya, Kankaru, Chiroma and other vulnerable areas of Kaduna State as well as an end to religiously-motivated marginalization and oppression of Christians in Northern Nigeria.
HACDI said that its public statement through the media is a call to justice, equality, and peace, stressing that it would not remain silent while its people suffer oppression under the guise of tradition, politics, or religion.
