The Nasarawa State High Court in Obi has ordered all parties involved in a fierce land dispute to halt any further actions concerning 10,000 hectares of contested ancestral farmland. The directive came on May 27, 2025, from Justice Solomon Ayenaje, following an oral application by the plaintiffs’ counsel, T.J. Aondo, SAN.
The lawsuit was filed by Tiv community leaders from 21 villages across Awe and Obi Local Government Areas, who are accusing the Nasarawa State Government and its agents, including the Nigerian Army, of forcefully and unlawfully seizing their ancestral lands.
In response, the court mandated that the land—critical to the plaintiffs’ economic and cultural survival—must be preserved until the matter is resolved. The judge warned that no side should take any further steps that could affect the disputed land.
At the latest hearing, the court was set to examine the plaintiffs’ challenge to Executive Order No. 3 of 2023, which they claim was imposed without legal authority or legislative backing. The order, signed by Governor Abdullahi Sule on December 29, 2023, is allegedly being used to justify the land acquisition.
Farm Network Services, represented by A.U. Idris, filed an application to join the suit as an interested party. The court allowed five days for the state’s legal team, led by Alhassan, to respond, two days for the plaintiffs to reply, and an additional five days for all parties to file supporting affidavits.
Justice Ayenaje also directed all parties—including the Osoho of Agwatashi, Dr. Umar Abubakar Apeshi—to submit their counter-affidavits within seven days.
The case was adjourned to June 11, 2025, for the hearing of all pending applications.
The plaintiffs, led by Aondo Tivlumun L., Dr. Francis Uger, and Upav Felix Saaior, argue that the government’s action is unconstitutional and violates their land rights. They claim there was no prior consultation, consent, or compensation before the alleged seizure of their lands—spanning villages such as Akaha, Utsuwa, Usula, Udugh, and Chabo.
The defendants include the Governor of Nasarawa State, the Attorney-General, the Nasarawa Geographic Information System (NAGIS), the Ministries of Lands and Agriculture, the Nigerian Army, Chief of Angwantashi Dr. Umar, and Farm Network Services.
In addition to challenging the legality of the land acquisition, the plaintiffs are also calling on the court to condemn the labeling of Tiv indigenes as “settlers” in media and official statements, including a March 25, 2025 article in the National Accord. They argue that this label is discriminatory and unconstitutional.
The Tiv leaders are urging the court to declare the entire process unlawful, discriminatory, and a violation of the 1999 Constitution, the Land Use Act, and international human rights conventions, including the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
