Land Dispute: Hausa Christians Ikara LGA Cry Out Over Alleged Persecution, Rights Violations

The Hausa Christian Development Initiative (HACDI) has raised alarm over what it described as a disturbing land grab and religiously motivated persecution against Hausa Christians in Danlawal Domain, Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

In a press statement released on Monday, August 4, 2025, the group detailed ongoing threats, destruction of property, and systematic denial of justice affecting residents of Dogon Fako, Anguwan Tsirya, Kankaru, and Anguwan Chiroma.

At the centre of the controversy is a dispute involving Mr. Ishaya Jarmai, a Hausa Christian farmer whose farmlands—totalling over 40 hectares—are allegedly being forcefully taken by the area’s village head, Sani Sambo Mohammed.

According to HACDI’s statement issued by its President, Dr. Daniel Musa, the farmlands were legally purchased and have been in Mr. Jarmai’s possession for years. Multiple investigations, including one by the Department of State Services (DSS), confirm his ownership.

Despite these findings, the village head has reportedly continued to assert control over the lands, forwarding the case to the Emirate Council of Zazzau and claiming that the disputed plots are part of a forest reserve. HACDI, however, said no documentation supports this claim and that the move is a ploy to suppress the rights of Christian minorities in the region.

The situation took a turn for the worse when Mr. Jarmai and members of his family were detained on separate occasions in 2023 and 2025. HACDI said these arrests were politically motivated and lacked due process.

The organisation accused specific high-ranking traditional figures—including the Wazirin Zazzau and the Sarkin Ayyuka—of backing the village head’s actions and undermining the rule of law.

Meanwhile, a High Court order issued in Dogarawa, Zaria on July 10, 2025, restrained the village head and his agents from entering the disputed lands pending the case resolution. However, just ten days later, on July 20, thugs allegedly loyal to Sani Sambo invaded the farms, destroying germinating maize and rice crops and assaulting Mr. Jarmai’s relatives who were gathering evidence of the destruction.

The attacks continued on July 21, with the perpetrators reportedly uprooting pepper and soya bean plants, carting away produce worth millions of naira. HACDI described these acts as a calculated economic sabotage meant to impoverish the victims and displace them from their ancestral lands.

Following the attacks, the victims reported the matter to the Zaria Area Command. However, according to HACDI, the police demanded money before taking action. Even after the payment, there were delays, with the police shifting appointments, allegedly due to other commitments. When the suspects failed to appear, victims were told to “exercise patience.”

In a shocking twist, on August 2—13 days after the attacks—a court order was reportedly served, restraining the police and victims from arresting any of the suspects. HACDI condemned this as a gross miscarriage of justice, accusing the perpetrators of manipulating the judicial process to avoid accountability,” the group said.

The group showed photos and videos showing damaged farmlands and injured victims, calling for swift intervention by state and federal authorities.

They demanded the enforcement of court orders, return of the seized land, protection for minority communities, and a halt to what they described as a “deliberate oppression” of Christians in Northern Nigeria.

“The Hausa Christian community will not be silenced,”. “Our people are under siege, and we call on the Nigerian government and human rights bodies to urgently intervene. This is not just a land issue—it is a human rights crisis,” the group added.

HACDI’s demands include immediate cessation of further destruction, legal redress for the victims, and prosecution of all those involved in the acts of intimidation, land grabbing, and religious discrimination.

The group further emphasised the need to protect vulnerable communities across Kaduna State from similar patterns of abuse.

As of the time this report was filed, the Emirate Council of Zazzau or the police authorities in Zaria had not officially responded to the allegations.