Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on state governors across the country to emulate the approach of Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, in implementing the Land Use Act, describing his handling of land acquisition and compensation as humane, constitutional and rights-based.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, the association commended Governor Sani for ensuring that citizens affected by government projects receive fair and adequate compensation.
HURIWA particularly praised the recent compensation paid to 122 households affected by the 15-kilometre Ring Road project stretching from Danbushiya Junction to Danhono II Junction in Millennium City, saying the gesture set a commendable example of balancing infrastructure development with the constitutional rights and economic wellbeing of affected citizens.
The group also applauded the governor’s declaration that “public interest can never become a justification for injustice” and that development should not impose hardship on citizens without compassion or fairness.
According to HURIWA, those principles should become the minimum standard for the exercise of the extensive powers granted to state governors under the Land Use Act.
While acknowledging that the Act empowers state governments to acquire land for overriding public interest, the association stressed that such powers must not be exercised arbitrarily or in ways that leave citizens impoverished after losing their homes, businesses or ancestral lands.
“Public interest and the constitutional right to property are not mutually exclusive. Responsible governance demands that both interests are carefully balanced,” Onwubiko said.
The association recalled that compulsory acquisition of land has remained one of the most contentious aspects of governance in Nigeria, with reports from several states indicating that many affected property owners were either inadequately compensated or received no compensation at all.
It noted that such complaints had been recorded in states including Lagos, Anambra and Kaduna under the immediate past administration, leaving many families with severe financial and emotional burdens.
HURIWA, however, said Governor Sani had demonstrated that governments could execute ambitious infrastructure projects without sacrificing justice, transparency and respect for citizens’ rights.
The group further commended the Kaduna State Government for slowing aspects of the Ring Road project to allow proper assessment of affected properties before compensation was paid, describing the decision as evidence of accountability and fairness.
It also welcomed the governor’s assurance that no resident of Kaduna State would be dispossessed of property without fair and adequate compensation, noting that more than N3 billion had so far been paid to households affected by various infrastructure projects across the state.
The association urged governors to institutionalise transparent compensation mechanisms, engage affected communities before acquiring land and ensure that every citizen whose property is taken for public purposes receives prompt, adequate and equitable compensation in line with the Constitution.
HURIWA added that governments would earn greater public trust by pursuing development with fairness, empathy and respect for the rule of law.
“Sustainable development can only thrive where citizens are treated as partners in progress rather than casualties of it,” the statement said.
