A fresh land dispute between the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Base and the St. Francis Community of Akpen village in Makurdi, Benue State, has led to the destruction of about 160 houses and displacement of scores of persons for fear of reprisal.

LEADERSHIP gathered yesterday that the NAF and the Akpen community, located on Kilometre 6, Makurdi-Gboko expressway, are in dispute over 2.6 hectares of land housing over 160 houses, churches, schools as well as hotels and petrol stations.

The incident which occurred at the weekend happened when the NAF command in Makurdi had detailed its men to the Akpen community, marked the houses and claimed that they were owners of the land and that the residents should urgently vacate them.

It was learnt that the disputed land in which the affected community is situated had been in existence since 1970 before the NAF Base, Makurdi, was established in 1972. The St. Francis Catholic Church, Akpen, and the Ugbechi Limited Company as well as the NAF checkpoint are all located on the disputed land.

Speaking to newsmen in Makurdi yesterday, the chairman of the Akpen community, Mr clement Chia, and the managing director of Ugbechi Limited, Mr Paul Ubwa, said the land problem came up in 2003 but was resolved by the then governor of Benue State, Senator George Akume, and that the matter was only revisited a few days ago, after 10 years of the resolution.

According to Chia, “the Air Force personnel who came with guns to the area yesterday marked all the houses claiming that the land is theirs and forcefully ordered everybody to vacate the area. Three persons who were worshiping in the St. Francis church, Akpen, and four personnel of the Ugbechi limited were arrested, tortured and detained for a whole night.”

When contacted, a senior NAF officer in the public relations unit who pleaded anonymity confirmed the incident to LEADERSHIP on phone but said that the command was yet to get the full details of the matter.

segun-obe:
Na was o. Something similar happened at Nigerian millitary barracks,ojo cantonement. When indigenes began to sell undeveloped army land. You need to have seen the classy houses destroyed when the army buldozers rolled in,over 1000 posh houses were destroyed in that "monkey village".That was the name of the place. I think the past commandant of those millitary settlement should be quized.

Madawaki01: Smh for some nairalanders,takin dis gullible story line and sinker,how did they raze 160 houses now,accordin to d story, they only mark houses dat are on their land and told d resident to leave,no incident of clash of razing happened.

Madawaki01: Smh for some nairalanders,takin dis gullible story line and sinker,how did they raze 160 houses now,accordin to d story, they only mark houses dat are on their land and told d resident to leave,no incident of clash of razing happened.

Brimmie:

After Reading Ur Comment, I Dint Bother To Read The Junk Up There!!

3ace: I think land, religion, money are major causes of violence in the world. I stand to be corrected.

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Imanuelle: Pics or it didn't happen

gboss4sure: Na Government get all land for Nigeria, They can wake up and decide to use your family land for something else you won't stop it rather you can get compensation for it.... People are fond of buying Government lands and building on top of it not minding that in future Government might want to re-activate the use of the land.

Kaxmytex: Why nah....buh diz pple don dey reside dere even b4 NAF get dere.....one gud day,una kum tok say make dem vacate...
Haba....it'z unfair o...
Even if dem kum leave dere sef,na whr u wan make dem go with dere little children.....
NAF,baba God dey watch u in 3D dimension on plasma tv o

Kaxmytex: Why nah....buh diz pple don dey reside dere even b4 NAF get dere.....one gud day,una kum tok say make dem vacate...
Haba....it'z unfair o...
Even if dem kum leave dere sef,na whr u wan make dem go with dere little children.....
NAF,baba God dey watch u in 3D dimension on plasma tv o