The Gwom Rwey (District Heads) of Zawan and Kuru in Jos South LGA of Plateau state have Petitioned the Senate against non compensation of lands acquired for the Police Staff College Jos and Nigerian
Defence Academy (NDA), Camp at Anguldi,

The two Royal Fathers, Da Sir Christopher S. Mancha and Da Patrick Mandung appeared before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on Thursday, 16/7/2020 and requested the Senate to urge the IGP and the Commandant, NDA, Kaduna to pay their communities and the landowners the appropriate compensation.

A Senator moved that the Petition be set aside as the two Traditional Rulers did not tender any letter of authority from the affected family land owners, arguing that the would be beneficiaries must be known to the committee to avoid diversion of the proceeds of compensation when paid.

Senator I. D. Gyang and Senator Gabriel Suswam of Benue State spoke in favor of the Petition and averted the insistence that the Petition be set aside for want of an authority letter. They said that the Royal Fathers were the authentic representatives of their people. On the strength of this, the commitee accepted the petition and presentation made by the two Traditional Rulers.

The Plateau State Commissioner of Lands and Survey, Hon. Yakubu Datti made a presentation to the committee and confirmed the following;

1). That the land Housing the Police Staff College Jos with File No. BBG 066, acquired in 1970, had an initial 77 Hectares but later expanded with additional 8 Hectares for which no compensation was paid.

2). That the land hosting the NDA Camp with File No. PSG 120 consisting of 103 Acres was acquired in 1973 and a compensation of #63,000= was paid for economic trees only and not for the land.

The committee resolved that the Petitioners had made their case as corroborated by the representative of the Plateau State government.

The committee commended the two Royal Fathers for their peaceful disposition and in restraining their people from resorting to self help nor to litigation against the prolonged non payment of the compensation.

The committee scheduled a date for the IGP and Minister of Defence to appear before it with a view to resolving the matter once and for all and ensure appropriate compensation is paid to the land owners.

It would be recalled that Senator I. D. Gyang laid the Petition before the Senate on Tuesday, 19/5/2020 on behalf of the two communities of Zawan and Kuru.

Musa Ibrahim Ashoms,
Special Assistant,
Media & Protocol to
Senator I. D. Gyang, Esq.