Taraba Judge, Businessman In Land Grabbing, Assault Dispute

Taraba State High Court judge, Justice Ali Bappa, has denied allegations against him and his family on plans to grab plots of land and coordinating attack against a Jalingo-based businessman, Alhaji Umaru Garba Alasule.

Bappa who stated this while speaking with newsmen said he has not, for any reason, sent anybody to attack Alahsule nor have any direct land dispute with him.

Justice Bappa stated this in response to allegations against him by the businessman and politician (Alahsule) that the judge and his family were planning to grab his plots of land located close to the Taraba State deputy governor’s office in the Jaka-Daferi-Specialist Hospital area of Jalingo, the state capital.

“I have no personal land where the man is raising issues. I know that we have family land within the area but I have not sent anyone to go and destroy anybody’s property. I also have not sent anyone to go and attack anybody in the name of land dispute. I am a judge and I know the right way to approach dispute, not by violence,” Bappa stated.

Alahsule had earlier accused Justice Bapa and his family members of conniving to forcefully grab his plots of land located in Jalingo.

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The businessman also alleged that one of the family members of Bappa named Zaran Bappa had physically attacked him and his friends while they were sitting in his office close to the PDP Secretariat, Barde Way, Jalingo.
He said the attack caused damages to his car while the attacker threatened to kill him should he get close to the plot of land again.

Alahsule added that after Zaran attacked him in his office, he (Zaran) proceeded to the plot of land and destroyed the perimeter fence, “After destroying the perimeter fence, he boldly wrote, ‘Alhaji Bapa Family Land’,” he alleged.

While conducting journalists round the destroyed perimeter fence, Alahsule called on both the federal and state governments and security agencies in the state to come to his aid, stating that both his life and his properties were in danger.

“I have since reported the Zaran Bappa to the Jalingo Police Division. I also reported him at GRA police station on the very day of the attack. The police told me he is at large.

“I have all the needed papers for the plots inside this land. I have done the necessary land registrations at the Urban Planning; the recent one I did was the fencing permit. I have been working here for over seven years; only the construction of fence took me more than a year, I don’t know where this forceful land grabbing is coming from after all these years,” Alahsule stated while displaying the papers of the land to journalists.

When contacted, the acting police public relations officer, Taraba State police command, Mr Lashen James said the police is still on the matter and provide an update later.