Family Of Wakili Jatau At Crisis With The University Of Jos Over Ownership Of The Naraguta Land

Yakubu Busari

The brewing violence and  land selling  at  Naraguta Land to individuals owners in Jos North Local Government Council of Plateau State has continued to degenerate into full land dispute between individuals buyers, University of Jos and the family of Wakili Jatau  that might force individuals owners and the University of Jos to go into breakdown of law and order if urgent step is not taken by federal, state government  to prevent the situation from escalating loss of lives and properties of innocent citizens .

It was gathered that those who purchased the land from one Wakili Jatau family through their agent expressed worry that they can’t lose their land without compensation or they might resort self-defense.

The land which was used by Naraguta bricks construction and it became an abandoned property since 1979 and the family of Wakili Jatau family, who are the owners have claimed that they have been  compensated by the government and had written university of Jos management if they are interested but the university turndown which they sold to individual  developers .

We observe that some interested buyers purchase it from us with original C.O not encroaching on the Naraguta village which is our ancestral inherited land.

This might spark off fresh violence as those who purchased the said landed properties are now blaming the government for injustice and the University of Jos for using security personnel to harass, intimidate them and their families.

The community leaders have said the looming crises can be averted if the government can listen to their plight and take an amicable step of resolving it or invite the buyers to a closed-door meeting before the feud led to the bridge of law, as they are saying the committee set up on facts finding may be biased.

Some of the documents available to our medium revealed that the family of Wakili Jatau the beneficiaries of the said land had written documents to their claim that their land is not part of the Naraguta Brigs company.

The representatives of Wakili Jatau family has sold the said piece of land to individuals at the Naraguta village of Jos North with documents then after the university has denied the family of Jatau as not the original owner.

When the state government discovered that there is a serious problem, it set of committee toward finding a lasting solution to the lingering issues but the individual buyers are licking their wounds that non involvement of the members of the community who are presently occupying the land might result in jungle justice.

They said all we are asking for from the government was for them to be fair.

According to Wakili Jatau family letter dated 18th June 2016 signed by the following members who agreed include;

1 Alasko Wakili Jatau

2 Adala Wakili Jatau

3 Shakara Wakili Jatau

4 Ishaku Wakili Jatau

5 Monday Wakili Jatau and

6 Ibrahim Wakili Jatau

In an application for use of family land to the office Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises No 11 Osun Crescent, Maitama District, Abuja .

We are now facing with the Nigeria Bricks and Clay products Limited a subsidiary of the Nigeria corporation Jos, Plateau state.

The family said that the land has not been compensated by the said company for the 30 years and the people are now building houses in the land.

We have complained severally to the company (Nigeria Mining Corporation) In Jos almost every year for the past 10 years now and there is no positive response.

However, in one of our complain of illegal structure on our family land at Naraguta village, which unknown people have trespassed by clearing it as their land dated 24th February 2017 and for the good three years we try to stop them but they refused and even threatened our lives.

They Wakili Jatau family also put in an application for demarcation of their land boundary that exists between us and the Nigeria mining corporation on 14th March 2016 to the commissioner, Ministry of Land, survey and Town planning.

This letter read, this is due to the non-existence of boundary beacons that was initiated on the ground but doesn’t exist again and this is also to avoid instances of encroachment either by us nor the corporation, as we wish to put our land into use.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY made the 05yh… day of . July………, 2 018 by JATAU FAMILY Represented by SHAKARA JATAU, IBRAHIM JATAU, ALASCO ‘JATAU, MONDAY JATAU AND ADALA JATAU. Of Naraguta Village, Jos  Plateau State. (Hereinafter  referred to as the “’DONORS”) which expression shall where the context so admit include their entire family, hairs, administrators, executors, assigns and persons whosoever they may be that Claim title through us‘f‘é ’9

WHEREAS:

THE DONOR ARE THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS” AND IN possession of  ALL THAT PIECE OF LAND SITUATE AT NARAGUTA VILLAGE JOS NORTH LG. A PLATEAU STATE COMPRISING OF 120 PLOTS OF SOFT EACH BELONGING TO THE JATAU FAMILY AND ADDITIONAL EXTENSION OF 50 PLOTS OF 5OFTPBY 5OFT EACH.

Now THEREFORE BY THESE PRESENTS, WE, SHAKARA .IATAU, IBRAHIM IATAU, ALASCO JATAU, MONDAY JATAU AND ADALA IATAU. do hereby APPOINT and constitute RON PROPERTIES NIG. LTD of shop NO. 9 & 10, Plot 2934 Eluzai Shopping Mall Rock Haven Zaria road Jos Plataeu State which expressions shall where the context SO demands shall include our Heirs, Executors, Assigns and administrators, our MY TRUE AND LAWFUL ATTORNEY and which expression shall include all as aforesaid to do all things in our name and on our behalf in respect of the property aforementioned and all the appurtenances hereinbefore mentioned to

Wit:

1. To take possession and control of” all that piece of land situate at

Naraguta Village, Jos Plateau State comprising of 120 plots Of 50ft by 50ft and additional (Extension 50 plots of 50ft .

2 to prepare a layout plan of the entire 120 plot and additional, an extension of 50 plots of 50ft by 50ft  each of the land situate at Naraguta Village Jos Plateau State.

3 To sell, surrender, charge transfer to any prospective Buyers and make contract arrangements between the Donor and the Donee.

4. The Donee shall sell the property to prospective buyers at a price, to be agreed upon and shall be entitled to 10% of each plot sell.

5. To make and sign all documents and applications to the appropriate government department(s), local authority or other relevant and competent authorities for license; permission Or consent required by any law or otherwise in connection with the management or improvement of the said plots including the recovery of compensation or. indemnity where such is recoverable.

6. To accept and generally do all such act and thing not herein specifically mentioned which in the opinion of our said Attorney are necessary or convenient for all or any of the purposes aforesaid,

7. To* present, record, stamp .and register this Power of Attorney in the proper office and to procure to be done every other act or things whosesoever, which may be in any wise requisite or proper for authenticating and giving full effect to this Power of Attorney.

8. To. in our names sign and execute any contracts, conveyance, assignment, transfer, deeds or any instrument whatsoever in relation to the property.

And we, SHAKARA JATAU, IBRAHIM JATAU’, ALASCO JATAU, MONDAY JATAU AND ADALA JATAU. hereby declare that this POWER OF ATTORNEY is given for‘ a valuable consideration and is , ‘ IRREVOCABLE’  until all the property as described above is disposed of

One of the buyer a businessman disclosed that he bought the said land on the 21-11-2018.

The family of Wakili Jatau through their counsel ,RON properties Ltd shop No 10 Eluzai shopping Mall opposite St Murumba College Jos ,Plateau state Nigeria CEO Samuel Kasuwa has written to the University of Jos if the university is interested in buying the said land and failure we shall disposed of all the land to prospective buyers but no reply was given .

Our correspondent spoke with the University of Jos ,PRO ,Mr Abdullahi Abdullahi on phone which he decline that the state government have taken over the matter so as a body no comment since the said land belongs to state government  .

On encroachment over the disputed land ,Abdullahi told our reporter that there are two issues on ground one is the land bought from Federal government which was donated by Former Police Governor ,Late Joseph D.Gwomwalk of blessed memory in 1976 .

Then he said the university have all documents to her claimed ,we saw the residents of the area embarking on indiscriminate building houses on the university land .

He refuted the allegations of university is using security personnel to harassed and intimidate them on the disputed land .

According to him ,the university is legitimate owner which was donated to them with full documents handing over note from late Gwomwalk .

One of the spokesman of the buyers ,told our reporter that this is not the first time they are experiencing killings of their youths by security operative ,adding we have lost many lives of innocent people .

Meanwhile, Member representing Jos North, North constituency ,Rt Hon Ibrahim Baba-Hassan appealed for calm and peaceful coexistence amongst the two communities of Jos North LGA .

He advised that with the intervention of government no one should carry law in his hand but dialogue remain the best option in resolving land issue .