Protesters block Kaduna-Zaria road, allege confiscation of land by NAF
Thousands of commuters were stranded yesterday as residents of Barakallahu, a community on the outskirts of Kaduna metropolis, blocked both sides of the Kaduna-Zaria road accusing the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) of harassment and confiscation of their land.
The residents, Daily Trust gathered, blocked the ever busy road at 5am on Monday which caused untold hardship to people trying to get to work, school or meet appointments at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika.
Commuters heading to Abuja from most of the northwestern states were also caught up in the gridlock which lasted about four hours.
It took the intervention of soldiers from 1 Division Nigerian Army in Kaduna to reopen the road around 10am.
A resident of the community, Malam Samaila Birma Ali, said they decided to come out and let the Nigerian people know the kind of harassment they have been facing by the NAF.
He said, “Residents of Barakallahu did not come out to prevent people from going about their normal businesses but they came out to get sympathy from other residents and the only reason why we came out is because we have the backing of the court judgement which ruled in favour of the community and asked the NAF to henceforth, stop confiscating lands belonging to residents of Barakallahu.”
He called authorities to on wade relevant into the matter with a view to settling the issues surrounding compensation of residents whose land has been taken over by the NAF.
He further called on the government to lay down a clear demarcation between the NAF and Barakallahu community with a view to forestalling problems which may arise in the future.
However, Commander 453 Base Services Group, Air Commodore Ismaila Yahaya said the protest was sponsored by unscrupulous elements who want to sell portions of NAF land to unsuspecting members of the public.
Addressing a press conference, the commander said NAF recently embarked on the completion of perimeter fencing of the NAF base in Kaduna to strengthen the security of the base.
He added that in view of the security situation in the country, the fencing of the vast expand of land could not be completed before now leading to encroachment by some unscrupulous elements.