Yobe residents, prison service bicker over disputed land

Some aggrieved residents of Potiskum in Yobe State on Friday protested against the building of a structure by the Nigerian Correctional Service on a disputed land.

The protest commenced after the contractor began the demolition of an old structure on the disputed land.

The contractor later withdrew from the site following the protest and the intervention of a serving senator, Ibrahim Bomoi, who appealed to the aggrieved protesters.

The lawmaker, representing Yobe South, pleaded for calm and promised to mediate.

Disputed land

A top emirate official confided in PREMIUM TIMES that the old structure located close to the Emir’s palace in Potiskum town was an old prison built in 1912.

He said the building was no longer occupied following the construction of a new prison in 1986.

READ ALSO: EFCC arrests Prison’s staff, five others for alleged ATM Fraud

PREMIUM TIMES understands the dispute over the land is between the Fika emirate council, with its headquarters in Potiskum and the Nigerian Correctional Service. Both parties claim ownership of the structure.

The correctional service recently commenced the building of a female wing of the correctional centre in the old structure, but met resistance from the aggrieved residents who support the emirate.

Ali Gonki, the Secretary, Fika Emirate’s Council, confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES. He, however, declined further comments.

Dungus Abdulkarim, the police spokesperson in Yobe, told PREMIUM TIMES the police intervened to nip the crisis in the bud during the process.

Mr Abdulkarim said the contractor was asked to vacate the area for ‘proper documents’ to be issued to all parties concerned before embarking on the project.

The spokesperson said the area is now calm and no arrest was made.

Ibrahim Babe, the spokesperson, Nigerian Correctional Service, Yobe command, could not be reached for comments as his known phone line did not connect.