NPHCDA staff picket Defence Ministry over alleged land encroachment

The Cooperative Society of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) on Thursday, staged a protest at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Abuja over the alleged forceful takeover of its 64.5-hectare land in the Idu area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by the Nigerian Air Force Holding Company (NAFHC).

Led by its Chairman, Emmanuel Odoh, the staff, comprising both retirees and serving, submitted a petition to the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, calling for urgent intervention to halt further encroachment on the disputed property.

The demonstrators carried placards with inscriptions such as: “We are all citizens of Nigeria, we have equal rights,” “Chief of Defence Staff, come to our aid,” “NPHCDA cries for help,” “NAF, stop the harassment and intimidation,” “Wike, come to our aid,” “The land is ours, We are law-abiding citizens.”

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While addressing journalists during the protest, Odoh said the land was allocated to the cooperative in 2006 and regularised between 2012 and 2013 for members and their families.

Odoh, who is a Deputy Director in the NPHCDA, explained that the property had remained unused for years due to internal leadership crises within the cooperative until efforts were renewed in 2023 to reclaim it.

“After paying all our dues and compensations to the host community, we discovered that NAF had started encroaching on Phase One of the estate. We took them to court, and an injunction was issued stopping work, but they ignored it and went ahead to build nearly 300 units,” Odoh said.

But when contacted, Director of Public Relations and Information for the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, dismissed the allegations.

According to him, the land was acquired by the NAFIL Housing and Construction Company (NAFILHCC), a legally registered entity, through a legitimate transaction with an independent seller, and the matter is now under review.

He said, “The NAF did not forcefully take anyone’s land. It is the NAFIL Housing and Construction Company (NAFILHCC), a registered limited liability company, that legally purchased a parcel of land from an independent party; the said land is now being contested. Following this development, NAFILHCC has contacted the original seller to meet with the claimant to resolve the dispute before the FCDA.”

Odoh alleged that despite petitions to the Minister of Health, the FCT Minister, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Minister of Justice, including meetings with the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and Development Control, the encroachment has persisted.

Odoh explained that they had visited NAAF Holdings’ office a few weeks ago, but were told that the matter did not concern the company, as it had purchased the land from an unnamed individual.

He added; “We have already made all statutory payments to the FCT. We have made all statutory compensation to the community. To our surprise, immediately after the compensation, we saw that NAF has started developing our Phase Two. We took them to court and obtained an injunction stopping work on Phase 2 of the property. Yet, they went ahead. Now, they have started encroaching on Phase 1, arresting our workers, destroying fences, and threatening to demolish existing structures.”

“Now, they are even claiming to have bought the land from an individual. We do not know when the FCT started allocating 64.5 hectares to an individual. We are law-abiding citizens and will continue to protest peacefully until the matter is resolved.

“Despite the court injunction and petition to DSS, NAF has continued its development on the land and has prevented NPHCDA from entering the property in blatant disregard of the rule of law and gross acts of abuse of power and high-handedness.

“We are appealing to President Bola Tinubu; the Chief of Defence staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and Executive Director of NPHCDA to intervene on the matter to forestall breakdown of law and order.”

A representative of the Ministry of Defence, who addressed the protesters, assured them that their complaint would be reviewed.

“Something will be done. The minister will act accordingly. Nobody is trying to intimidate anybody. Maybe next week, he (minister) may want to hear from the Chief of Air Staff,” the official said.