At least one person has been feared dead and four injured in a clash between Abuja natives and soldiers over land at Tungan-Maje village in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja
Tanko Sani, a Community Leader in Tungan-Maje who confirmed the incident to journalists at the scene of the clash on Wednesday said trouble started when soldiers forcefully moved into the said land and commenced work without the consent of the natives.
Sani said one of the natives and a student, Hamza Usman was allegedly killed by the soldiers for protesting against their action.
He added that four other persons were injured and were presently receiving treatment in a hospital within the area.
“Soldiers started work on our land yesterday without our notice, so we try to ask them to stop work on the land, they then mobilized more of their men to apply force on us, due to the force they killed Hamza Usman who is a student.
“We are appealing to the federal government to call the military to order, this is the only place we have and if is taken away, where are we going to move to with our families ”, Community Leader stated.
Sani lamented that the soldiers had never engaged the community members for a discussion since the disagreement between them and the natives started about three years ago.
However, the natives comprising both men and women blocked the ever busy Zuba – Gwagwalada road to press home their demand.
The situation became worst as motorists plying the route were held in gridlock for over five hours before the intervention of some stakeholders.
Reacting to the ugly incident, the Agora of Zuba, HRH Mohammed Bello demanded that the natives should be compensated even as he urged the natives to be calm.
“The government should compensate the natives so that there would not be problem, the people have no other place than here, but my advise to my people they should be calm”, he said.
Attempts to speak with the Military personnel on ground proved abortive as soldiers they were not willing to speak to journalists while there was no official statement from the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA and FCT Police Command.
James Kwen, Abuja
