Court Bars ACP, Others from Asetiya Family’s Ancestral Land in Landmark Judgment

By our reporter

A High Court sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, has delivered a landmark judgment in favour of the Asetiya family in a protracted land dispute, restraining the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Zanna Shettima, and several other defendants from further trespass on the family’s ancestral land.

Justice Simon Aboki, who delivered the judgment last Friday, held that the disputed land located at Angwan Barugu, Maimako Tunga District in Awe Local Government Area lawfully belongs to the family of the late Baba Aduniya Asetiya.

The suit, marked NSD/LF/49/2019, was instituted by members of the Asetiya family through their representative, Rev. Abudalokaci Asetiya, who sought legal protection of their inheritance and reliefs against alleged acts of trespass and harassment by the defendants.

According to court proceedings, the defendants had earlier accused the plaintiffs of trespass and filed criminal complaints against them, which the family maintained were calculated attempts to intimidate and inconvenience them.

In his ruling, Justice Aboki upheld all the claims of the plaintiffs, affirming that Rev. Asetiya is the rightful owner of the disputed property, having inherited it from his late father, Baba Aduniya Asetiya, who lawfully acquired and possessed the land during his lifetime.

The court observed that the late Asetiya, a fisherman and farmer, lived to the age of 106 years before his death in 2008, and that the ownership rights over the land have validly passed to his heirs.

The judge also noted that the defendants failed to consistently participate in the proceedings, citing repeated absenteeisms and frequent changes of legal representation, which led to their defence being deemed abandoned.

Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the plaintiffs, Barrister Joseph Ejembi Agbo, described the ruling as a landmark decision that has settled several contentious issues surrounding the land.

He alleged that some persons have been using the name of Dangote Sugar as a cover to acquire lands belonging to local communities with impunity which was wrong.

According to him, “they have been using the name of Dangote Sugar to collect people’s land, claiming that compensation had been paid. We are of the view that Dangote has not paid any compensation, and the Nasarawa State Government cannot take our lands and hand it over to a private company.”

The court specifically declared that the entire disputed expanse of land at Angwan Barugu, Maimako, bounded to the east by River Nyitsa and the family’s maternal farmland, to the south by River Azara, to the west by the farmland of Alhaji Gindi Kade, and to the north by the land formerly owned by late Maimako Akwai, now cultivated by his son, Danladi, remains the lawful property of the late Baba Asetiya and is now vested in the plaintiffs.

Justice Aboki further held that the defendants’ acts of entering and appropriating parts of the land amounted to trespass.

The court awarded special damages of ₦2,057,500 in favour of the plaintiffs for losses suffered after the defendants allegedly frustrated their attempt to cultivate rice on the farmland in 2018.
The court also granted a perpetual injunction, restraining the defendants, their agents and privies from any further acts of trespass on the land.

In addition, the court awarded ₦1 million as general damages for the inconvenience suffered by the plaintiffs and ₦500,000 as cost of the action.

Efforts to obtain comments from counsel to the defence, were unsuccessful as he declined to comment on the judgment.

Court Bars ACP, Others from Asetiya Family’s Ancestral Land in Landmark Judgment

Environment Minister Urges Media to Lead Fight Against Climate Crisis

By: Michael Mike

Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has called on the media to take a more active role in confronting the country’s growing environmental challenges, stressing that responsible reporting and public awareness are crucial to safeguarding Nigeria’s ecological future.

Speaking on Wednesday at a media engagement workshop held in Abuja, Lawal described journalists and digital communicators as strategic partners in the national effort to address climate change, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss.

He noted that the media, widely recognised as the Fourth Estate of the realm, plays a critical role in shaping public understanding of environmental issues at a time when the country faces mounting ecological pressures.

“The environment is not an abstract concept. It is the air we breathe, the land that feeds us, the rivers that sustain communities, and the climate that shapes the future,” the minister said.

Lawal highlighted a range of environmental threats confronting Nigeria, including desertification spreading across northern regions, severe flooding and erosion in the South-East and South-South, oil pollution and gas flaring in the Niger Delta, widespread deforestation, and the growing impacts of climate change on livelihoods and food security.

He explained that under the leadership of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Federal Ministry of Environment has intensified efforts to promote environmental sustainability while supporting economic development.

According to him, government initiatives in 2025, including the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project and the National Agency for the Great Green Wall, restored more than 1.14 million hectares of degraded land and facilitated the planting of over 1.5 million trees across Nigeria.

“These achievements demonstrate our national commitment to building a cleaner, greener, and more resilient Nigeria,” he said.

The minister, however, stressed that greater media attention is required to elevate environmental reporting in the country. He observed that environmental issues are often treated as secondary despite their direct impact on agriculture, public health, and economic stability.

He urged journalists to adopt more data-driven and solutions-oriented reporting approaches that highlight both environmental challenges and innovative responses to them.

Lawal also encouraged media professionals to take advantage of digital and social media platforms to engage Nigeria’s youthful population and amplify awareness about climate action and environmental protection.

He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the media through improved access to environmental data, field activities, and information resources to support effective reporting.

“Future generations deserve a Nigeria where the air is clean, forests thrive, rivers run pure, and the land remains productive,” he said.

Lawal added that the stories told by journalists today have the power to shape public behaviour, influence policies, and inspire collective action needed to secure Nigeria’s environmental future.

Environment Minister Urges Media to Lead Fight Against Climate Crisis

Apelogun Amirul Hajj: Ogun Governor Charges Leaders on Pilgrims’ Welfare

The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has approved the appointment of Alhaji (Prince) Shamsudeen Adebayo Apelogun as the Amirul Hajj for the 2026 pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

Apelogun, who holds the revered titles of Asiwaju Adinni of Ogun State and Baba Adinni of Remoland, is expected to lead and coordinate Muslim pilgrims from the state during the annual religious exercise.

In a related development, the governor also appointed Sheikh Zakariyah Ishaq Olorungbebe as Chairman of the Ogun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board for the 2026 Hajj operation. He will oversee the administrative and operational activities of the board.

The appointments, according to the state government, are part of early strategic efforts to ensure a seamless, well-organised and successful pilgrimage for Ogun State contingents.

Governor Abiodun charged both appointees to carry out their responsibilities with diligence, integrity and a strong sense of commitment, stressing the need for effective leadership, proper coordination and collaboration to guarantee the comfort, safety and spiritual fulfilment of pilgrims.

He further reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to providing the necessary support and institutional framework to ensure a hitch-free Hajj exercise.

The statement was signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi.

Apelogun Amirul Hajj: Ogun Governor Charges Leaders on Pilgrims’ Welfare