Nigerian Military and Police Force clash over a piece of land

The Nigerian military is said to be claiming ownership and began clearing a piece of land said to belong to the Nigeria Police Force along Kuje-Airport road in Abuja.

Our reporter observed that the property already contained structures said to be accommodation and peacekeeping campground, bearing Nigeria Police insignia.

But a large portion of the front part of the land has been cleared by the military, claiming it was allocated to them during late Gen. Sani Abacha’s regime.

A witness, who pleaded anonymity, said the military sent their men to the land last Friday and cleared it with a tractor and that though they were approached by the authorities to stop work on the land, they did not stop.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, the Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu, said the Nigeria Police Force which holds the proper documents of the land had earlier approached the FCT Administration alerting them on the invasion of the Nigerian military on the land.

He said the military had not presented any titled documents to claim the land although they have been asked to provide evidence that they were the rightful owners as the said property.

“We are all Nigerians and we must obey the laws on ground not intimidation. I remember we had to caution the Nigeria Police recently when they started clearing a certain portion of land around Berger junction and they immediately pulled out.

“So we expect the Nigerian military to also obey the laws and stop work or provide evidence of ownership of the land or we will continue to visit this site until they vacate the land,” he said.

Credit: Daily Trust