From SANI ALIYU, Zaria
The Yusufu Bala Usman Institute has advocated for Land reforms in conflict resolution strategies in northern Nigeria, to address local land disputes and to change Federal and State legislation that enables widespread land expropriation with impunity.
Director of the institute Malam Attahiru Usman who made this known in Zaria on Tuesday at the research project dissemination findings to the communities affected in land disputes.
The research was conducted by the Yusufu Bala Usman with support from British Foreign Common Wealth Development Office (FCDO) SPRiNG program.
Attahiru said, if there is good reason for a land acquisition it should be done with honest local constitution and the affected person or communitiesare properly compensated.
He also called on government to ensured the land rights of farmers and pastoralists are protected, respecting tenure security , where feasible restore grazing reserves and forest reserves.
The Director of the Institute advised government to organize consultations and request legal opinions on the 1978 Land use act and propose reforms.
According to him their research survey found that land expropriation is widespread in Kaduna, Katsina and Bauchi states, impacting individually owned farmland and forest reserves and grazing reserves which the states was meant to protect.
The Director of the institute said land grabbing has negative socio-economic consequences for the rural population in thes states.
He expressed satisfaction with high turn out of affected victims of land issues and their individuals contributions.
Also speaking Malam Mukhtar Abdulhameed of Yusuf Bala Usman Institute said, the research has examined how land is governed in the rural areas of 4 states in northern Nigeria.
He said, the research focused on the rights of access to land for farmers and pastoralists and the socio-economic, ecological and climate impacts of changes in landuse and land ownership.
Mukhtar added that, the seizure of land is often carried out by political elites for their private interests and in some cases by corporations.
"As victims are usually poor communities, legal redress is rare".
He explained that the research project was conducted in Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa and Bauchi States during dry and wet seasons from 2024 to 2026.
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