Land Grab: Zaria residents seeks Uba Sani intervention

From: Femi  Oyelola, Kaduna

People with houses and lands at Unguwar Kake, under a Kufena Ward in Zaria Local Government have appealed to Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State to intervene on the move to take over their lands without any compensation by the local government.

Speaking to Journalists yesterday when a team from the Zaria Local Government stormed the area and started measuring the area with a view to sacking them from what is legitimate to them, some household and land owners Malam Musa and Malama Khadija expressed their dismay that they acquired the lands legally with all relevant documents but yet just of a sudden Zaria Local Government came up and said it is their land.

“It is unfortunate that the people we elected are now paying us with this kind of dividend of democracy”.

They said as law-abiding citizens they are not confronting nor embarking on violent, but want everything done lawfully.

Accordingly, over 500 houses and lands will be affected. Speaking at the event on Wednesday in Lokoja, NOA Director-General, Dr Garba Abari, said the campaign was to sensitise the stakeholders on understanding the new electoral act, civic participation and peace.

Abari assured of the agency’s readiness to partner with relevant stakeholders who were willing to promote and mobilise Nigerians to participate in a peaceful and orderly election, whose outcome would be the informed choice of the people.

Abari expressed concerns over the relatively poor turnout of voters, in spite of the seeming enthusiasm shown by Nigerians toward the 2023 general elections.

He disclosed that out of a total number of 93.47 million registered voters, only 24.9 million actually voted during the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

According to him, the turnout represents a meagre 26.72 per cent of voters, which is actually the lowest percentage since the return to democracy in 1999.

“Some have even said the turn out was the worst since Nigeria’s independence. In 36 states, less than half of the eligible population turned out to vote, and no state had a turnout above 40 per cent.

“In the three largest states based on voter registration — Lagos, Kano and Rivers, less than a third of the eligible population voted.

“Rivers turnout was a poor 15.6 per cent, the lowest in the country, despite producing a lot more votes in past elections. Overall, voter apathy is a major challenge in Nigeria’s democracy. “Some have even said the turn out was the worst since Nigeria’s independence. In 36 states, less than half of the eligible population turned out to vote, and no state had a turnout above 40 per cent.

“In the three largest states based on voter registration — Lagos, Kano and Rivers, less than a third of the eligible population voted.

“Rivers turnout was a poor 15.6 per cent, the lowest in the country, despite producing a lot more votes in past elections. Overall, voter apathy is a major challenge in Nigeria’s democracy.