Community threatens N36.1bn Loko-Oweto Bridge over royalty

Members of the Loko Community in Nasarawa State have threatened to stop the ongoing construction of the Federal Government’s N36.1 billion Loko - Oweto Bridge over River Benue.

Executive Director, Media Ideal for Development and spokesman of the community, Peter Emuekpere said yesterday in a statement that the community was demanding over N3billion compensation from Reynods Construction Company Nigeria Limited (RCC) for the sand laterite, water and land the company had been using for the project since 2011.

He said the community brought an action at the State High Court, Lafia, Nasarawa State asking it to effect the compensation.

He said the community was aware of a court ruling that the intake and sand permit license is for the community having raised millions of naira to procure the Licenses from the Nigerian Inland Water Ways (NIWA) in Lokoja.

According to him, a State High Court order, given by Honourable Justice Aisha M. Ahmed of High Court 3 Nasarawa State ordered that the Company should vacate the water, land and site.

He said: “After making the necessary payments, to the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and Nigeria Inland Waterways (NIWA) for the water, laterite, granite and sand we use for the execution of the project and concerning compensation for the land and crops, every land owner and crops owners were duly paid their compensation.”