A restraining order has been issued against the Nasarawa State government and security agencies by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The order is to prevent them from arresting farmers or infringing on their rights until a legal dispute concerning the alleged forcible seizure of 10,000 hectares of farmland is resolved.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the ruling in response to a fundamental rights motion ex parte filed by Sambo Vongjen Esq on behalf of his client, who represents the farmers affected by the land seizure.
The farmers allege that the Nasarawa State government took over their ancestral lands for agricultural projects without offering compensation or alternative means of livelihood. The case lists several respondents, including the Nigerian Army, the Inspector General of Police, the Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police, the Nasarawa State Governor, and the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Agriculture.
The conflict began after the Nasarawa State government announced plans to launch agricultural projects on the disputed lands as part of the federal government’s food security initiatives. On June 29, 2024, the government shared that Governor Abdullahi Sule had inspected part of the 10,000-hectare farm in Jangwa, Awe Local Government Area, which is intended for rice production.
In an affidavit supporting the motion, Felix Upav Saaior, representing the Tiv communities affected by the seizure, claimed that the government’s actions would displace the farmers, stripping them of their primary source of livelihood. He recounted how, on June 10, 2024, the farmers awoke to find their cultivated lands and crops destroyed by government agents under the watch of security forces.
The farmers argue that the forced acquisition of their land, carried out without proper legislation or public consultation, violates their constitutional rights to property and freedom from discrimination. They fear being permanently displaced and losing their means of survival.
During the court session on Monday, August 26, 2024, the farmers’ lawyer urged Justice Lifu to grant the motion ex parte, which would temporarily prevent the respondents from arresting the applicants or taking further action against them. The court granted the request, offering temporary relief to the farmers as the case moves forward.
