CLO Asks Federal Gov’t To Pay Niger Community N1.1trn Judgement Debt

The Federal Government has been called upon to obey the recent judgement of a Niger State High Court sitting in Minna, which ordered it to pay N1.1 trillion judgement debt to Samboro Community for the destruction of their livelihoods and forceful eviction.

The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), made the call during a press conference on Monday, in Abuja.

CLO said it was invoking its power of advocacy under its democracy and governance mandate to draw local and international attention to the prevailing plight of the inhabitants of Samboro Community in Madaka District in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.

The civil society group said the Samboro people were forcefully ejected and displaced from their communal land following an alleged poor design and construction of the Zungeru Hydro-electric Power Dam in the state.

The group stated that the construction of the Dam was awarded to a consortium of Chinese firms by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Mines and Power.

Speaking during the media parley, Executive Director of the CLO, Ibuchukwu Ezike, said the organisation has put series of activities in place to ensure the Federal Government obeys the court order.

According to the group, trouble started for the Community when Zungeru Hydro- Electric Dam overflowed and released unimaginable volume of water into the community and within hours and days, washed away the livelihood and homes of the inhabitants.

As the devastating effects of the Dam raged, the organisation alleged that the federal government failed to come to the aid of its own people who were left to survive on their own.

Dissatisfied with the government behaviour, Alhaji Abubakar Usman, the Village Head of Samboro and 2,844 other community members on April 27, 2023, filed a complaint with the court in case number NSHC/ KUT/6/2023.

The community’s lawyer, Muhammed Mohammed, SAN, who filed the suit, challenged the government on the damaging impact of the dam on the community and demanded compensation.

Justice Mohammed Adishetu Mohammed of High Court 4 in Minna, Niger State after hearing all the parties including lawyers of the government ordered the Federal Ministry of Mines and Power to pay N1.1 trillion as compensation for the damages caused to the affected community.