New Correctional Facility: Firm Asks NCoS For Compensation, Time To Quit Disputed Land

Although owners of a quarry company, Nino Corporation Ltd, have alleged illegal and forceful possession of their land by the authorities of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), they asked for compensation and more time to vacate the area.

The firm said NCoS had built a new correctional facility on the land at the border community between Karu local government area in Nasarawa State and Karahi area within Abuja Municipal Council Area of Abuja.

The company which said it had been ordered to vacate the property asked for adequate compensation and time from the NCoS in order to relocate to another site.

The land is a solid mineral area under exclusive list of the federal government and Nino Corporation Ltd was allocated the place by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Solid Mineral Development, investigation showed.

The NCS management was initially backed by the Federal Capital Territory Development Administration (FCDA) on the issue.

Subsequently, the Development Control of the FCTA went to the site and pasted a vacation notice to Nino Corporation Ltd, an order which the company contested and supported its argument with Section 1 of the Land Use Act of 1978, Sections 44 (3) of the 1999 Construction and Section 1 of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.

This was due to the fact that, the land which is located in Nasarawa State, is a solid mineral area which is solely under the purview of the federal government.

The company's position is further supported by documents from the Federal Ministry of Mines and Solid Mineral Development.

The company, after satisfying all necessary regulatory processes, duly got the approval and allocation of the plot beside a massive rock by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Solid Mineral Development.

The FCTA authorities later confirmed through necessary documents the side of the story of the company but the NCS is alleged not to have responded positively to the compensation request to enable the company to relocate to another site.

The site which blasts and grinds rocks is now in the middle of NCoS facility and it is unsafe for any residential and official accommodation.