A coalition of civil society groups has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the crisis in Kuchibuyi, a rural community in Bwari Area Council of the FCT, over a land dispute that has left one youth dead, several others injured and five in police custody.
The groups — the Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria (MOTiON), the What About Us Movement and the Original Inhabitants Development Association (OIDA) — made the appeal during a press conference yesterday in Abuja.
Speaking, the president of OIDA, Pastor Danladi Jeji, condemned the violence and what he described as the illegal acquisition of indigenous lands through force and without due process.
“This land was never vacant. Communities like Kuchibuyi existed long before Abuja became the capital. It is illegal and immoral to dispossess us without proper consultation, compensation, or consent,” he said.
According to Jeji, the incident, which occurred earlier this month, involved a confrontation between Kuchibuyi residents and individuals allegedly working for a private developer identified as Mr. Roland.
Tension escalated when the community resisted the reported land takeover, prompting a violent clash.
Jeji explained that the altercation led to the death of one youth. Another youth, identified as Abass Abubakar, was shot and injured in the hand. Several others were also injured, and five remain in police custody.
He stressed that although initial reports blamed the military, community leaders have since clarified that the fatal shot was allegedly fired by a police officer acting on behalf of the developer.
“It was not the military. It was a police officer. These young people were defending their ancestral land,” he said.
He added that the land in question is a 60-hectare parcel that locals claim was seized without notification or compensation, in violation of their constitutional rights.
OIDA and its partners cited Sections 42 and 44 of the Nigerian Constitution, arguing that the land seizure and arrests breach the rights of indigenous people.
“We are calling for the immediate release of the five detained Kuchibuyi residents, an independent investigation into the killing of one of the villagers, legal action against the developer, Mr. Roland, and a public explanation from FCT authorities on the land allocation process,” Jeji stated.
The groups also demanded compensation for the family of the deceased and the injured, as well as structural reforms — including state recognition for the FCT and the establishment of an Original Inhabitants Development Commission.
Similarly, the National Coordinator of the What About Us Movement, Yusuf Shuaibu, condemned the growing trend of land-related violence in the FCT.
“When the community demanded documentation, a confrontation broke out. Three people were shot — one fatally. Five others are still in police custody without trial,” he said.
Also, a representative of MOTiON, Omole1’s Ibukun, described the Kuchibuyi tragedy as part of a broader pattern of forced displacements across the federal capital territory.
“From Idu to Tungamaje and now Kuchibuyi, entire villages are being cleared by force. This must stop. The use of security forces to dispossess the poor for the benefit of elite developers is a betrayal of our national values,” he said.
The groups concluded by warning that failure on the part of the federal government to act could trigger wider unrest and further undermine public trust in governance.
“We are not squatters,” Jeji declared. “We are Nigerians — and we will not be silent.”
