Indigenous Tiv communities of Ikyaior and Jandeikyula in Wukari Local Council of Taraba have filed a N100 billion suit against the state government, Governor Agbu Kefas, Attorney-General of the state, Taraba State Geographic Information Service (TSGIS), and the Nigerian Army over the alleged forceful seizure and destruction of their ancestral lands and farmlands.

Represented by a legal team led by constitutional lawyer Professor Sebastine T. Hon (SAN), the communities claimed that soldiers and state authorities unlawfully took over an estimated eight-by-six-kilometre expanse of land without issuing any notice of acquisition, conducting an assessment, or paying compensation as required by law.

According to the suit, the disputed land includes ancestral homes, farmlands, and other property that have been passed down through generations of Tiv families.

The applicants argue that the government and the Army violated their constitutionally protected rights under Sections 43 and 44 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee the right to own immovable property and prohibit compulsory acquisition without due process.

The plaintiffs are seeking a court declaration that the respondents’ actions constitute a breach of their fundamental rights, alongside a perpetual injunction stopping further occupation or development of the land.

They are also demanding N50 billion in general damages and another N50 billion in exemplary damages for alleged trespass and rights violations.

When the case came up for hearing at the Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, the presiding judge directed all respondents to appear and show cause why the reliefs sought should not be granted. Consequently, the court declined to grant the applicants’ exparte motion pending further proceedings.

The matter has been adjourned to January 19, 2026, after the court’s holiday recess.

Community members allege that shortly afterwards, soldiers occupying the land began excavating the area despite unharvested crops still standing. Women who approached the site to plead for a delay in the excavation were allegedly beaten and injured.

The case, at press time, had drawn renewed attention to long-standing conflicts over land ownership, military occupation, and the rights of indigenous communities in Taraba State. (The Guardian)

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