Borno State Government has commenced efforts to resolve lingering land disputes in Muna Asheri and Bulabulin Ngarannam communities in Jere Local Government Area through a comprehensive verification and documentation exercise.
The intervention, coordinated by the Borno Geographic Information Service (BOGIS), targets the BOSA 11 layout in Muna Asheri and the BOSA 201 layout in Bulabulin Ngarannam, where conflicting land allocations, ownership claims and other administrative challenges have generated disputes among residents.
Leading the engagement with stakeholders on Thursday, the Commissioner for Works and Housing, Engr. Adam Bukar Bababe, said the exercise was aimed at finding a lasting solution to the disputes through proper verification of land titles and documentation.
He explained that the Bulabulin Ngarannam layout was originally designated as a Government Reserved Area before it was redesigned and allocated by the Jere Local Government in 2016 to meet growing demand for land and support urban development.
According to the commissioner, many of the disputes stem from the failure of some allottees to comply with the conditions attached to their allocations, particularly the requirement to develop their plots within a specified period. He noted that this had created conflicts involving original allottees, subsequent beneficiaries and illegal land buyers.
Speaking on the situation in Muna Asheri, Bababe said the layout was first designed in 1982, but only five beneficiaries developed their plots before the area was redesigned and reallocated in 2016.
He assured residents that the state government would ensure a fair and transparent process by verifying land records, documenting existing structures and identifying legitimate owners to facilitate an amicable resolution of the disputes.
The District Heads of Dusuman and Old Maiduguri, Abba Kyari Terab and Abba Umar Shehu, welcomed the government’s intervention, describing it as a timely initiative that would strengthen peace and harmony among affected communities.
Residents who participated in the meeting also commended the exercise and appealed to the government to ensure fairness and transparency, stressing that many families depend on the disputed lands for their homes and livelihoods.
At the end of the meeting, the commissioner directed survey teams to immediately begin fieldwork in the affected layouts to capture existing structures, establish plot boundaries and update official records. He also warned residents against carrying out further construction or development on disputed plots until the verification exercise is completed.
