A firm in Akwa Ibom State has filed a case with the Human Rights Community alleging that the State Police Command has encroached on its territory and violated its fundamental rights. Clifford Thomas, Esq., Chairman of the Akwa Ibom Human Rights Community, revealed this during a press briefing in Uyo on Friday, saying they have decided to sue the command on behalf of the firm, urging the Inspector General of Police, the Minister of Police Affairs, and the Police Service Commission to intervene and bring the command to order. Thomas stated in the petition that the Nature Control Company Limited claimed that the command refused to leave the land located at the 25th Anniversary Estate Road, Afaha IdoroUyoAkwa Ibom State, which is roughly 9. 529 hectares and lawfully belongs to it.
He explained that based on the documentary evidence presented, “the land in dispute is private property owned by Nature Control Company Limited, which has made substantial investment in the acquisition of the property legitimately from the previous Allottee and owner, Papi Events and Promotions Limited (which received the allocation from the Akwa Ibom State Government on the 22nd of May, 2023) for residential purposes.”
“However, on August 23, 2023, Papi Events and Promotion Limited nominated and appointed Nature Control Company Limited as her genuine and legitimate attorney over 7. 340 hectares (after the boundary demarcation was completed) of the 9. 529 hectare parcel of property. This transaction transferred ownership.The Nigeria Police never owned the land and forced their way into it. And refused to relinquish the land, even though the communities that donated the land to the governmentThe Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Lands and Town Planning, as well as various other authorities, consulted on boundary adjustments, emphasizing that the police land did not extend to this other parcel of land. However, the police refused to abandon the area and restrained their incursion into the property.He stated that all efforts to persuade the Commissioner of Police to leave the land were futile since the commissioner was resolute, and the commander of the Nigeria Mobile Police, Nnaji Chima, on his part has been stopping the firm from developing the site.
The Surveyor General of Akwa Ibom State developed a survey plan during the establishment of the boundaries of both lands, indicating portions of the land belonging to the Nature Control Company Limited and the Police Mobile Force, respectively. The Survey Plan is ready for examination and verification.
“On 5/02/2026, Nature Control Company Limited obtained consent from the Government of Akwa Ibom State to develop their piece of land located at 25th Anniversary Estate Road, Afaha Idoro, Uyo, but the Police continued to intimidate and harass workers and partners of the claimants who attempted to develop and work on the said land.”
The aggrieved owner is taking legal action to challenge this unlawful and unconstitutional infringement of his fundamental right to seek remedy and have the injury remedied so that long-overdue development on the land can begin immediately.
However, DSP Timfon John, the Command’s Spokesperson, stated that the land in question was lawfully granted to the Police Mobile Force, 26 Squadron of the Akwa Ibom State Command by the Akwa Ibom State Government in 1992.
John stated that the charges of land grabbing were completely false, unjustified, and without substance, emphasizing that the Command had never engaged in, and will never condone, any type of illegal land acquisition.
She stated that the Command will not stand by and allow any individual or group to illegally infringe on or take over land properly assigned to the Police under any cover.
Her words, “It is important to note that, because the area was not fenced at the time, an individual appeared in the year 2024 with a forged letter of allocation, claiming ownership of the same tract of land.
“In response to this development, the Command formally wrote to the Honourable Commissioner of Lands in Akwa Ibom State, strongly rejecting the aforementioned allocation and asking a comprehensive, fair, and unbiased investigation into the situation. The Command is now awaiting the results of this investigation.The Command is determined to protect its assets and will use all legal tools to do so.The Command remains dedicated to due process and legitimate settlement of the situation, and all parties are urged to refrain from taking actions that could jeopardize ongoing administrative processes.
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