By Abdullateef Salau

Monarchs from Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State stormed the Senate on Thursday to complain about the alleged refusal of the Nigerian Police Force to pay compensation on the land it acquired from them about 50 years ago.

They had, through their representative in the Senate, Istifanus Gyang, earlier submitted a petition to Senate President Ahmad Lawan on the issue.

The monarchs, led by the Gwom Rwey of Zawan, Da Christopher Mancha, appeared before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, which is working on the petition. The traditional ruler alleged that the police authorities acquired 77 hectares of land from their people in 1970, but refused to pay compensation since then. He said: “They (Police) refused to pay compensation, instead they said they wanted more land. “We didn’t want to disgrace them, that is why we didn’t take the police to court on the issue. “We asked them to sign a formal agreement when they took over the land in the overriding public interest but they declined. “They didn’t agree to sign agreement, they said until we give them additional land.”

The Commissioner for Land, Survey and Planning in the state, Yakubu Dati, said details of the documentation was not available in the state land registry but that his office had requested for additional information from the northern Nigeria archives.
Dati, however, said the Military had paid N57, 000 for the 103 acres it acquired by the military in 1973 to build the Nigerian Defence Academy base camp.

The chairman of the Senate panel, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, said the police and military authorities had written the committee seeking another date to appear in respect of the case.

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Monarchs in Plateau State Wants Compensation from Police For Land Acquired in 1970