By Inusa Ndahi
Mai Mai community has written a petition and submitted to Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, alleging that the Chairman of Potiskum Local Government Area, Alhaji Salisu Muktari Bello, has been allocating ancestral lands without consultation or consent from traditional rulers or stakeholders.
The petition, signed by Alhaji Musa Husseini, Alhaji Ibrahim Sule, Abubakar Sulayman Yahaya, and Habu Wakili Lai Lai, a copy which was made available to our Correspondent in Damaturu on Tuesday claimed that the Chairman’s actions are a blatant disregard for the historical significance of the lands in question.
The petitioners argue that since 1976, 20 Local Government Chairmen, all of whom were original indigenes of the area, had respected the ancestral lands and not tampered with them.
The petitioners also allege that “the Chairman is using the Governor’s name to justify his actions, implying that he is untouchable due to his friendship with the Governor. They emphasize that Potiskum is an urban area, and the LG Chairman has no authority to allocate land within the urban area”.
Furthermore, the petitioners expressed concern that the Chairman’s actions may be a ploy to create conflict between the Fika Emirate and Mai Pataskum, as he allegedly sought consent from the latter, who has no jurisdiction over the area.
The Lai Lai community is demanding answers as to why the Chairman is so desperate to acquire and dispose of properties belonging to the community, including the Rest House, Police mounting troops land, and cattle routes. They are appealing to the Governor to intervene and prevent a crisis in the area.
This development comes amidst concerns over land allocation and management in local government areas, even as the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has recently urged state governors to disclose details of federal allocations meant for local governments.
