Outrage as FCE Potiskum Offers N3,000 for Land Valued at Millions: Residents Cry Foul Over Injustice
By Sidi Ibrahim Muhammad
A storm of anger is brewing in Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State as residents accuse the Federal College of Education (Technical), Potiskum, of forcefully taking over ancestral lands while offering what they describe as “insulting” compensation—amounts as low as N3,000 for plots they say are worth millions of naira.
The disputed lands, located in the Mazaga area of Jigawa District, are already being cleared and developed by the College. But for landowners like Mallam Abdullahi Mohammed, the issue is more than money—it’s about dignity and due process.
“I have been on this land for over 40 years. We inherited it from our fathers and have all the legal documents,” Mohammed said. “Yet, the College just showed up one day, began construction, and started handing out peanuts—some people got N3,000, N14,000, or N20,000. It’s an insult.”
Mohammed said despite repeated promises from the Yobe State Government that affected persons would be fairly compensated, the College ignored those assurances.
He said they approached both the Secretary to the State Government and Brekete Family, a well-known human rights radio platform in Abuja, but nothing changed.
“They never valued the land. No official assessment, no engagement. Just bulldozers and security escorts. We’re being treated like squatters.”
For Yunana Abare, another affected resident, what’s happening is simply land grabbing under the guise of development.
“We are not opposed to educational expansion,” Abare said. “But what’s happening here is theft. They took my land and deposited N12,000 in my account. That land is worth at least N1.5 million. No notice, no negotiations, just brute force.”
According to residents, the College often arrived at the sites under heavy security. “You’d see a convoy of police vehicles, as if they were preparing for war. Why bring such intimidation if everything is legal?” asked Abare.
Nuhu Idriss Mohammed said the institution took advantage of the community’s peaceful nature. “They knew we wouldn’t riot, so they ignored us. We stayed calm, hoping for dialogue, but all we got were insults. N3,000 for a family inheritance? It’s robbery, not compensation.”
He warned that if the College continues to ignore their pleas, residents might be forced to take legal action.
“This land isn’t charity. If they want it, let them pay us properly. That’s all we’re asking.”
Community elder Adamu Wuje said the incident has shaken people’s trust in government institutions.
“Even if you won’t pay millions, show respect. Call a meeting. Let government valuers assess the land. Instead, they handed out secret payments like they were doing us a favor.”
Another resident, Tori Abubakar Dadango, said the situation goes beyond land—it’s a test of institutional accountability.
“The government is supposed to protect us, not allow our land to be taken without explanation or fair compensation. We have tried all avenues for dialogue. We’ve been ignored at every turn.”
Efforts to reach the management of FCE Potiskum were unsuccessful. Multiple calls and messages to their Public Relations Unit went unanswered.
However, a senior source at the Yobe State Ministry of Land and Housing, who asked not to be named, confirmed that the state government had directed the College to compensate the landowners.
“There was a letter from the SSG’s office. The College made some payments, but from all indications, the amounts are clearly inadequate,” the source said.
The post Outrage as FCE Potiskum Offers N3,000 for Land Valued at Millions: Residents Cry Foul Over Injustice appeared first on Kano Times.
