Peasant farmers in 36 communities in Jigawa State have threatened to relocate to other states if the state government carries out its plans to lease their 12,000 hectares of farmlands to a Chinese businessman, simply identified as Mr. Lee.
Our correspondent gathered that the angry villagers, who hail from Gwiwa, Taura, Gagarawa, and Sule Tankarkar local government areas of the state, got wind of the state government’s intention to lease out their lands to Mr. Lee, following an agreement between the latter and the government for the cultivation of sugar cane by the Chinese business man.
The development did not go down well with the peasants, who last week stormed the High Court in Dutse, the state capital, as well as the Government House to protest and demand the withdrawal of the agreement between Mr. Lee and the state government. They chanted slogans such as “We refuse to give out our lands to foreign investors” and “Give us back our lands, they belong to us.”
Leader of the protesting villagers, Alhaji Aminu Gagarawa, decried the state government’s action, describing it as “heartless” and swore to challenge the government and Mr. Lee in court. Gagarawa lamented that the lands, which served as their only means of livelihood and shelter, were given out to the Chinese businessman to cultivate sugar cane after he, “Paid us peanuts as compensation, with only N100, 000 per farm as against the N500,000 per farm he paid out in Kano and elsewhere. “So, why are ours different? Is it because we have nobody to champion our cause? Whatever may be the case, we say no to this daylight robbery by the state government”.
He disclosed that the villagers had already set up three committees to prepare for their relocation to either Bauchi, Adamawa or Niger states. He added, “They would be happy to welcome and accommodate us and even offer us lands to start a new life all over again.” Our correspondent also learnt that the villagers had taken the matter to court and the case fixed January 11, 2017.
Reacting to the development, the state Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Alhaji Aminu Ahmed Kanta, described allegations by the villagers as untrue, saying all the affected persons had been fully compensated. Kanta blamed “the opposition and other selfish politicians for instigating the villagers” and swore to fish out those responsible for the protests. He added that the state government would do everything possible to resolve the matter within the ambit of the law
