By David Odama – Lafia
Over 300 residents of Akurba Village in Nasarawa State Saturday staged a protest to register their dissatisfaction over purport compensation allegedly paid for their lands taken by the state government for the ongoing 33 KVA Step Down Electricity Substation Project.
Most of the protesters who are peasant farmers numbering about three hundred converged on one of the plots of land displaying slips of bank cheques with the amount of compensation paid.
Akurba Community which is located seven kilometers away from Lafia, the state capital is dominated by Inhabitants whose sources of livelihood depended on their lands taken over by the state government.
Recalled that the ongoing 33 KVA Step down Electricity Substation Project is being executed by the federal government with the state government providing the land which covers over sixty hectares.
Investigation showed that the amount ranging from eight to fifty thousand Naira (N8-50, 000) issued by officials of the state Ministry of Lands and Urban Development as compensation for their lands.
A spokesperson for the protesters, Mr. Yasir Arafat noted that they were not against the project on their lands but the state government should do the needful by ensuring adequate compensation for the real owners of the lands.
A community leader in the area Baba Abubakar Badamasi who spoke amidst tears appealed to Governor Abdullahi Sule to intervene in the matter to ensure justice.
Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Nasarawa State, Mr. Salihu Alizaga called on the protesting landowners to show understanding with the state government and urged those affected to remain calm and not to take the laws into their hand.
