Traders accuse unnamed individuals of illegally selling Government land in Lafia

Traders under the aegis of the Nasarawa State chapter of the Traders and Marketers Association have raised alarm over the illegal sale of government‑owned land in Lafia, the state capital.

The association’s state chairman, Ahj. Turaki Gamji, sounded the warning at a press conference on Monday in Lafia. He explained that the land in question had previously been used by traders for their shops before the government relocated them to Kwandere Road in Lafia.

According to Gamji, the traders, who are law‑abiding citizens, agreed to move after being informed that the government intended to use the land for a development project that would benefit the entire public.

He noted that the traders recently discovered that some individuals were attempting to develop the land, claiming that a person from Lafia had sold it to them.

“Our members had willingly surrendered the place to the government for public‑benefit development. We cannot allow individuals to illegally sell it for selfish reasons,” Gamji said.

“When we inquired, we were told the land had been sold. By whom? On whose authority? This is government land meant for the public,” he stressed.

The traders appealed to Governor Abdullahi Sule, through the Ministry of Lands, to intervene in order to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state.

In response, the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Mr. David Moyi, who led other ministry officials to the site, denied authorising any sale or allocation of the land to any person or group.

He added that the ministry would launch an investigation into the encroachment and promised to identify and bring the perpetrators to justice. (NAN)