Monday May 4, 2026
www.thenewsdesk.ng
The Akwa Ibom Human Rights Community, which is a network of civil society organizations, made up of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Faith Based Organizations (FBOs), institutions and individuals, who are involved in promoting, protecting and practising the observance of Human Rights of persons in Akwa Ibom, and indigenes of Akwa Ibom State residing outside the State, has berrated Akwa Ibom Police Command for forcefully trespassing Into a private property legitimately owned by a private business concern in Uyo.
The land in question is situated at the 25th Anniversary Estate Road, Afaha Idoro, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
This was made known by the convener, Clifford Thomas during a Press interaction at the community’s office, 13, Ndiya Street, off Aka Road in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on April 29, 2026.
According to the Convener, the land involved measured about 9.529 hectares.
Thomas said that:
‘Recently, the Akwa Ibom State Command of the Nigerian Police, which had forcefully trespassed into a private property legitimately owned by a private business concern, refused to peaceably vacate the land situate at the 25th Anniversary Estate Road, Afaha Idoro, Uyo, Akwa Ibom Sate, measuring approximately 9. 529 hectares.
“Documentary evidence available confirms that the land in issue is private property owned by Nature Control Company Limited, which has made substantive investment in the acquisition of the property legitimately from the previous Allottee and owner, Papi Events and Promotions Limited (which got the allocation on the 22nd of May, 2023) from the Akwa Ibom State Government, for Residential purposes.
‘But on the 23/08/2023, Papi Events and Promotion Limited nominated and appointed Nature Control Company Limited as her true and lawful attorney over 7. 340 hectares (when the boundary demarcation was carried out) out of the 9. 529 hectares of the parcel of land situate at 25th Anniversary Estate Road, Afaha Idoro, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, beside the Police Mobile Base, Uyo. By virtue of this transaction, ownership was transferred.
‘The Nigerian Police has never had the land, but had forcefully trespassed into the land. And refused to vaCate the land, even after the communities that donated the land to the government, Boundary adjustment was conducted by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Lands and Town Planning, and several other authorities making it very clear that the police land did not extend to this other parcel of land. But the police refused to vacate the land, and restrain their incursion into the property.
‘Efforts to get the Commissioner of Police to see reasons and the need to understand the situation, and leave the land, was met with stiff opposition, resistance and threats. It is reported that he informed the owner of the land to do anything he intends to do, that the police is waiting.”
According to the Convener, ‘The Commander of the Nigerian Mobile Police, Nnaji Chima, ostensibly acting on the orders of the State Commissioner of Police, has refused to stop the continuous act of trespass; thus, preventing the owner of the land from developing the property, and put it to use by the public. The impression created here is that the Inspector General of Police and the Minister of Police Affairs are aware of this nefarious scheme, and are in support of this continuous breach.
‘During the establishment of the boundaries of both land, the Surveyor General of Akwa Ibom State had produced a survey plan indicating portions of the land belonging to the Nature Control Company Limited and that of the Police Mobile Force. The Survey Plan is available for inspection and verification.
‘The Government of Akwa Ibom State through the Ministry of Lands and Town Planning had made a report on the 13/03/2026 of the Joint Inspection and Regularization to establish the boundaries between the owner and police.
‘Nature Control Company Limited had on the 5/02/2026 obtained Consent from the Government of Akwa Ibom State to develop their piece of land situate at 25th Anniversary Estate Road, Afaha Idoro, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, but the Police kept intimidating, harassing workers and partners of the claimants who have tried to develop and work on the said land.
‘Actions of the Police in continuing the trespass by intimidation and harassment, has caused great loss to the owner. The Police used the force of arms to instil fear in those working on the land, and threatened to shoot
to kill anyone found on the land. The owner has suffered loss, shock, hardship, financial loss and damages and setback to the intended project.’
Convener Thomas said that the office of the Inspector General of Police, the Minister of Police Affairs, and the Police Service Commission have been informed about this development, calling on them to use their good offices to advise their officers mentioned in this scheme here in Akwa Ibom State.
He further briefed that ‘Land-grabbing has become a very dangerous phenomenon in Nigeria, and this is done with reckless abandon using the coercive weapons of force to intimidate and chase out the legitimate owners of the land. This must not be allowed to happen in Akwa Ibom State. This dangerous phenomenon and precedence must not be allowed to happen in the State. It must be resisted by all.
‘Constitutional provisions have been made by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended in Chapter IV, that the right to own moveable and immovable are guaranteed. And no authority or person has the power to deprive anyone of his right to own proper. This is a Constitutional right, and the owner cannot be alienated from enjoying this right.
‘The aggrieved owner is challenging this unlawful and unconstitutional violation of his fundamental right in court, to seek redress, and get the injury corrected; so that development on the property which is long overdue, could commence immediately.’
Finally, the Convener appealed to the authorities to prevail on the police to restrict themselves to the land accommodating the Mobile Police Base, and not to trespass into the private property of a law-abiding Nigerian citizen.
The Akwa Ibom Human Rights Community, which is a network of civil society organizations, made up of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Faith Based Organizations (FBOs), institutions and individuals, who are involved in promoting, protecting and practising the observance of Human Rights of persons in Akwa Ibom, and indigenes of Akwa Ibom State residing outside the State, has berrated Akwa Ibom Police Command for forcefully trespassing Into a private property legitimately owned by a private business concern in Uyo.
The land in question is situated at the 25th Anniversary Estate Road, Afaha Idoro, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
This was made known by the convener, Clifford Thomas during a Press interaction at the community’s office, 13, Ndiya Street, off Aka Road in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on April 29, 2026.
According to the Convener, the land involved measured about 9.529 hectares.
Thomas said that:
‘Recently, the Akwa Ibom State Command of the Nigerian Police, which had forcefully trespassed into a private property legitimately owned by a private business concern, refused to peaceably vacate the land situate at the 25th Anniversary Estate Road, Afaha Idoro, Uyo, Akwa Ibom Sate, measuring approximately 9. 529 hectares.
“Documentary evidence available confirms that the land in issue is private property owned by Nature Control Company Limited, which has made substantive investment in the acquisition of the property legitimately from the previous Allottee and owner, Papi Events and Promotions Limited (which got the allocation on the 22nd of May, 2023) from the Akwa Ibom State Government, for Residential purposes.
‘But on the 23/08/2023, Papi Events and Promotion Limited nominated and appointed Nature Control Company Limited as her true and lawful attorney over 7. 340 hectares (when the boundary demarcation was carried out) out of the 9. 529 hectares of the parcel of land situate at 25th Anniversary Estate Road, Afaha Idoro, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, beside the Police Mobile Base, Uyo. By virtue of this transaction, ownership was transferred.
‘The Nigerian Police has never had the land, but had forcefully trespassed into the land. And refused to vaCate the land, even after the communities that donated the land to the government, Boundary adjustment was conducted by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Lands and Town Planning, and several other authorities making it very clear that the police land did not extend to this other parcel of land. But the police refused to vacate the land, and restrain their incursion into the property.
‘Efforts to get the Commissioner of Police to see reasons and the need to understand the situation, and leave the land, was met with stiff opposition, resistance and threats. It is reported that he informed the owner of the land to do anything he intends to do, that the police is waiting.”
According to the Convener, ‘The Commander of the Nigerian Mobile Police, Nnaji Chima, ostensibly acting on the orders of the State Commissioner of Police, has refused to stop the continuous act of trespass; thus, preventing the owner of the land from developing the property, and put it to use by the public. The impression created here is that the Inspector General of Police and the Minister of Police Affairs are aware of this nefarious scheme, and are in support of this continuous breach.
‘During the establishment of the boundaries of both land, the Surveyor General of Akwa Ibom State had produced a survey plan indicating portions of the land belonging to the Nature Control Company Limited and that of the Police Mobile Force. The Survey Plan is available for inspection and verification.
‘The Government of Akwa Ibom State through the Ministry of Lands and Town Planning had made a report on the 13/03/2026 of the Joint Inspection and Regularization to establish the boundaries between the owner and police.
‘Nature Control Company Limited had on the 5/02/2026 obtained Consent from the Government of Akwa Ibom State to develop their piece of land situate at 25th Anniversary Estate Road, Afaha Idoro, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, but the Police kept intimidating, harassing workers and partners of the claimants who have tried to develop and work on the said land.
‘Actions of the Police in continuing the trespass by intimidation and harassment, has caused great loss to the owner. The Police used the force of arms to instil fear in those working on the land, and threatened to shoot
to kill anyone found on the land. The owner has suffered loss, shock, hardship, financial loss and damages and setback to the intended project.’
Convener Thomas said that the office of the Inspector General of Police, the Minister of Police Affairs, and the Police Service Commission have been informed about this development, calling on them to use their good offices to advise their officers mentioned in this scheme here in Akwa Ibom State.
He further briefed that ‘Land-grabbing has become a very dangerous phenomenon in Nigeria, and this is done with reckless abandon using the coercive weapons of force to intimidate and chase out the legitimate owners of the land. This must not be allowed to happen in Akwa Ibom State. This dangerous phenomenon and precedence must not be allowed to happen in the State. It must be resisted by all.
‘Constitutional provisions have been made by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended in Chapter IV, that the right to own moveable and immovable are guaranteed. And no authority or person has the power to deprive anyone of his right to own proper. This is a Constitutional right, and the owner cannot be alienated from enjoying this right.
‘The aggrieved owner is challenging this unlawful and unconstitutional violation of his fundamental right in court, to seek redress, and get the injury corrected; so that development on the property which is long overdue, could commence immediately.’
Finally, the Convener appealed to the authorities to prevail on the police to restrict themselves to the land accommodating the Mobile Police Base, and not to trespass into the private property of a law-abiding Nigerian citizen.
Human Rights Community Berates Police In Akwa Ibom For Land Graping, Appeals For Intervention By Authorities
