Residents of Barakallahu and Kauyen Liman communities in Kaduna State have appealed to the Federal Government and the Kaduna State Government to urgently intervene in their protracted land dispute with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), alleging continued construction and fencing of their ancestral lands without the settlement of outstanding compensation claims.
The communities, operating under the Barakallahu and Kauyen Liman Community Development Association, said the dispute had passed through several stages, including court proceedings and the establishment of a joint committee by the immediate past Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal HB Abubakar, to facilitate an amicable resolution.
Addressing a world press conference, the association’s chairman, ESV. Jibrilla Madu Gadzama, disclosed that an 11-member committee comprising Air Force officers and community representatives was established through a convening order dated December 5, 2025, to investigate the matter and negotiate a settlement.
According to him, the committee held several meetings at the 543 Base Support Group (BSG) Conference Room at the NAF Base in Kaduna, including physical verification of the disputed land boundaries.
The association stated that the committee’s report was submitted to the NAF headquarters by its chairman, retired Air Vice Marshal IH Muhammad. However, it expressed disappointment over what it described as the failure of the military authorities to respond to repeated correspondence seeking the implementation of the committee’s recommendations.
Gadzama said the association wrote to the NAF headquarters on December 8, 2025, and subsequently sent reminders on June 15 and July 11, 2026, but had yet to receive a satisfactory response.
He explained that a meeting convened by the commander of the 543 BSG at the NAF Base in Kaduna on October 2, 2026, had raised hopes of resolving the dispute peacefully.
However, the association alleged that the Air Force subsequently issued quit and ejection notices to Gwari and Fulani residents still living in the affected areas, raising fresh concerns among community members.
The association further alleged that contractors had continued fencing the disputed land and carrying out major construction projects, including the erection of approximately 11 structures, access roads and drainage facilities, while compensation and relocation arrangements remained unresolved.
It also claimed that armed Air Force personnel had been deployed to secure the area, restricting community members’ access to parts of the disputed land and raising concerns over the ongoing development.
The residents maintained that their principal demand was the implementation of the joint committee’s recommendations, which they said included the payment of negotiated compensation, resettlement of affected residents and provision of essential infrastructure at an alternative location designated for relocation.
“We are peacemakers and lovers, hoping and willing to end this dispute amicably,” the association said, appealing to the relevant authorities to ensure a fair and lasting resolution.
The chairman also raised concerns over what he described as unequal treatment in the handling of compensation claims. He alleged that one Alhaji Sani Zangon Daura had received full payment before the present dispute arose, while other affected landowners were yet to receive their compensation.
He therefore called on the current leadership of the Nigerian Air Force to review its records and ensure that all affected landowners were treated fairly and transparently.
The association emphasised that its appeal was not intended to undermine the military or its constitutional responsibilities, but to seek justice for the affected communities through dialogue, transparency and a mutually acceptable settlement.
It urged the Federal Government, the Kaduna State Government and the Nigerian Air Force leadership to intervene before the disagreement escalated further, stressing that a peaceful resolution would protect the interests of both the military and the host communities.
As of the time of this report, the Nigerian Air Force’s response to the allegations was not contained in the press statement made available to the media. The claims regarding the committee’s report, outstanding compensation, relocation arrangements and the legal basis for the ongoing development could not be independently verified.
The dispute highlights the importance of transparent land acquisition procedures, timely compensation and sustained engagement between security institutions and host communities, particularly where ancestral lands,5 residential settlements and residents’ livelihoods are involved.
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