It was discovered that the army had invaded the neighborhood on Sunday night and threatened to execute anyone who did not leave their houses within a day.
According to reports, Nigerian Army soldiers have invaded Tunga Maje in Gwagwalada, Federal Capital Territory, with the intention of stealing land from locals.
According to information obtained, the army invaded the neighborhood on Sunday night and threatened to execute anyone who did not leave their houses within a day.
In multiple films that were acquired, locals could be seen hastily packing their things out of concern that the military would destroy their houses.
Their land is being claimed by the Army, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. They came yesterday with the intention of fencing their property, so they asked them to evacuate by this morning.
According to one of the impacted people who appeared in the films, the issue has caused panic throughout the entire village.
“You can observe people taking their belongings, including their clothing and food,” he said. We couldn’t sleep last night. We were threatened by the Nigerian military, who came to us with a quit notice and threatened to destroy all of our homes.
“It began the week before. It seemed to us like a prank. They came this morning, however, and started threatening to shoot us if we didn’t pack up our properties. Everyone in the neighborhood is now in danger. Donkey years have passed since the establishment of the FCT, so these homes are not brand-new.
Now, we have to leave our homes. Where will we go? Members of the House of Representatives, our senator, the local council, and even the president’s office have all been notified of this situation. Why do Nigerian soldiers not follow the law? We now have nowhere to live. They have nowhere to stay. Observe the stranded wives. “Where are we going today?”
The FCT’s Tunga Maje village and the Nigerian Army have a long-standing and acrimonious land dispute that has been characterized by community protests, court cases, and ownership claims.
Why the Dispute Started
Since the Nigerian Army claimed possession of land in Tunga Maje and claimed it had been given to them for military use at least in 2009, the conflict has existed.
On the other hand, the local indigenous population, who have lived in the region for many centuries, argues that the land is their ancestral home and that they have proper ownership rights. They contend that no official allotment to the military was made and that the Army’s claims are unsupported by law.
Tensions have increased over time, and the community and the military have clashed multiple times.
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Criticizing eviction notices allegedly issued by the Nigerian Army, locals demonstrated at the National Assembly complex in 2016.
They emphasized that the Army was prohibited from acting further on the property until the conclusion of judicial proceedings by an existing court order. Nevertheless, the Army apparently carried on with its operations, which sparked more uproar.
Hamza Haruna Usman, a community member, was killed and several others were injured during a confrontation between soldiers and Tunga Maje villagers in 2019, which exacerbated the situation.
The altercation raised emotions and resulted in road blockades during a demonstration against the Army’s purported annexation of their territory.
The local indigenous population of Tunga Maje has continuously opposed what they say is unlawful Army intrusion.
They protested the military’s actions in December 2022, claiming that they were scaring locals, wrecking houses, and destroying farmlands.
The Army did not have an official allocation for the land, and then-President Muhammadu Buhari had previously ordered the military to leave the area, according to Dalhatu Musa Ezekiel, the then-FCT Commissioner for the Public Complaints Commission, who stepped in on behalf of the PCC.
Situation Right Now
In spite of numerous interventions and court cases, the conflict has not been settled. The community of Tunga Maje adamantly protects their ancestral rights, but the Nigerian Army persists in claiming the area.
