By Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
Residents from six communities in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State staged a peaceful protest today against what they allege are illegal demolitions of their homes and other structures, as well as human rights violations and blatant disregard for existing court orders by Major General Usman Abdulmumin Yusuf, the Commander of the Infantry Corps Centre (ICC) in Jaji.
The affected communities, including Mallam Auta, Ungwan Yohanna, Ungwan Aboki, Sabon Ungwan Loya, Ungwan Railway, and Ungwan Alhassan, were represented by members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Kaduna State chapter.
They marched to the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Kaduna to voice their grievances.
Protesters carried placards with various messages calling for the rule of law, asserting that military authorities are not above civil law and must adhere to the laws of the land. Baba Lawal Aliyu, Chairman of NBA Kaduna, expressed the association’s alarm over the destruction of ancestral homes and farmland, arbitrary arrests without warrants, and forced evictions in Igabi, despite court injunctions in place.
Aliyu reported that on August 15, the community of Ungwan Aboki faced demolition under military guard late at night, rendering hundreds of families—including women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities—homeless and destitute. Furthermore, he alerted that Hayin Mallam Auta is marked for imminent demolition despite existing court orders against such actions.
According to Aliyu, the Kaduna State High Court has issued multiple rulings between 2018 and 2021, ordering all parties to maintain the status quo. He stated, “The commander’s deliberate disobedience of these injunctions is a contempt of court and a dangerous affront to our constitutional democracy.”
He referenced the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in *Military Governor of Lagos State v. Ojukwu (1986)*, reminding authorities that no government agency—military or civilian—is above the law, asserting that the actions in Igabi constitute a direct assault on the judiciary.
The protesters demanded an immediate halt to the planned demolitions, particularly in Hayin Mallam Auta, and called for the release of individuals allegedly arrested and detained without warrants during these actions.
They urged the Federal Government, the Kaduna State Government, civil society organizations, and the international community to intervene urgently, warning that continued defiance of judicial authority would not be tolerated.
Aliyu assured the communities that the NBA Kaduna Branch would continue to defend their rights, declaring: “Fiat Justitia Ruat Caelum,” meaning let justice be done though the heavens fall.
In response to the protest, Major General Yusuf defended the military’s actions, claiming that illegal settlements within Jaji Cantonment pose significant threats to national security and hinder training activities. Yusuf stated that the Army is in discussions with the Kaduna State Government for the relocation of affected communities, insisting that no lawful homes were demolished.
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