- Vow to sustain protests until demands are met
From Garba Abdullahi Bagwai, in Kano
About 105 farmers in Bagwai Local Government Area of Kano State have appealed for compensation over their farmlands acquired for constituency projects allegedly facilitated by the Deputy Senate President (DSP), Senator Barau I. Jibrin.
The affected farmers said they had been waiting for about three years to receive compensation after their farmlands were measured and acquired for the construction of a town hall and recreational park around Bagwai Dam, intended to attract tourists and generate revenue.
The projects, the affected farmers claimed, were initiated allegedly under the Deputy Senate President’s 2023 constituency projects and include the construction of access roads linking Bagwai town to the riverbank to facilitate movement for visitors and passengers crossing the water to Badau.
Speaking during a peaceful protest over delay in the payment, some of the affected farmers alleged that the defaulters have shown little concern about their plight, despite several complaints channelled to them through their representatives in the local government.
One of the protesters said, “We never expected this. We thought the matter would be resolved within a month after the surveyors measured our land, but nothing tangible has come from the office of the Deputy Senate President.”
Another affected farmer, Malam Yusuf Kurma, said his farmland was among those acquired for the proposed town hall and that the project had already been completed without him receiving compensation.
“The farm belongs to orphans and is under my custody. I used to cultivate the land during the dry and rainy seasons to support their needs, including paying their school fees. But for about three years, I have been denied access to the farm,” he said.
Similarly, another farmer, Shuaibu Idris, said part of his farmland was taken for the construction of the access roads without any compensation.
“I rely on the farm to feed myself and my family. For three years, I have had to depend on hiring other people’s farmland to cultivate. I expected to use the compensation to acquire another piece of farmland, but I have been discouraged by the failure to facilitate the payment as promised before the project commenced,” he said.
Another complainant, Rabiu Alhaji Sani, told Citizenship Daily reporter that he had a plot within the area demarcated for the project, and that he has a plan to build a house there in preparation for his wedding.
He said he was forced to abandon the proposed plan pending payment of compensation and provision of an alternative plot.
“I thank God that I am alive to continue struggling for our legitimate rights. Some of those who were affected have already died without receiving their entitlements, leaving their families behind. We will continue the struggle until we are paid,” he said.
Sani called on the Kano State Governor, Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf, to intervene in the matter, expressing disappointment over what he described as failure of those who acquired the farmlands to respond to the farmers’ demands.
“We are calling on the Kano State Governor to intervene. We are not happy that our farmlands were taken without showing concern about our plight. Our farmlands were taken for the project, but we have not been paid compensation for years; this is not fair,” he said.
Contacted, a source close to the DSP, speaking in confidence, said the Senator had facilitated several development projects across his senatorial district, adding that compensation was normally paid before the commencement of such projects.
He directed Citizenship Daily reporter to one Shitu Madaki Kunchi, Special Assistant to the Deputy Senate President, whom he said could provide detailed information on the compensation issue involving the affected farmers.
However, several attempts to get a response from Kunchi did not yield results including phone calls and text messages sent to him.
The development has reportedly heightened tension among families and owners of farmlands affected by the constituency projects in Bagwai, with the farmers insisting that they will continue to press for payment of their compensation until their demands are addressed.
“We have decided to stage a peaceful protest every two weeks until the defaulters respond to our demands,” one of the affected farmers said.
