Osinbajo assures FCT natives of amicable land dispute resolution
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has met with traditional rulers and representatives of FCT communities and assured them that the lingering land dispute between them and the Nigerian Army would be resolved.
Osinbajo, who received the natives and traditional rulers at the Presidential Villa on Monday, assured them that the federal government would ensure amicable resolution of the land dispute.
The vice president was last week Tuesday blocked from going to the airport by protesting natives and he was compelled to alight and address the crowd, assuring them that he would intervene to resolve the crises.
Aso Chronicle gathered that during the meeting, Osinbajo pacified the natives and chiefs, notifying them that he had briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter and would find out from the chief of staff to the president what the presidential committee set up to look into the issue has so far done.
“What is very important now is that we do not allow a situation where things are not done according to the law and due process. It is also important that this issue is resolved amicably and justly,” he said.
He also ordered the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to submit to his office a comprehensive report on the contested land and previous efforts done to settle the matter.
Senator Philip Aduda, representing the FCT, who spoke earlier, flayed the Army authorities for claiming that the land was allocated to it.
He appreciated the intervention of the vice president and expressed hope that the dispute would be resolved.
Also, the Secretary, Area Councils Services Secretariat, Senator. Isa Maina, who was also part of the delegation, said the FCT authorities, in an effort to address the issue had already proposed to allocate a plot of land to the Nigerian Army in Kwali.
On his part, the Chief of Jiwa, Alhaji Idris Musa, said the indigenous people of Abuja were not against the Nigerian Army in any way but want a just and amicable resolution of the matter.
In the same vein, the representative of the youths, Mr Eziekel Dalhatu Musa, noted that the youths wanted due process to be followed in the resolution of the land issue.
He also commended the intervention of the vice president and appealed to him to also look into other issues affecting the indigenous people of the FCT.
Those present at the meeting included Senator Philip Aduda; the Secretary, Area Councils Services Secretariat, Sen. Isa Maina; Chairmen of AMAC, Abdullahi Candido; Bwari Area Chairman, Musa Dikko, Abaji Area Council, Alhaji Abdulrahman Ajiya; Chief of Jiwa, Alhaji Idris Musa; the Ona of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa, as well as youth leaders from the affected communities.
Aso Chronicle learnt that the seized land measures over 7,000 hectares covering Gwagwa, Idu, Zuba and Giri communities in the FCT.