Residents of Diko in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State, on Wednesday, staged a protest over the allocation of about 500 hectares of farmland to Abuja Steel Mills Limited for the establishment of a solar farm and industrial park.
The protesters, made up of youths, women, elders and masquerades, marched to the site earmarked for the project, chanting “Ba ma so, ba ma yi” (We do not want it), insisting that the land belongs to their ancestors and should not be taken without their consent.
Some residents alleged that officials of the company had earlier attempted to prospect for solid minerals in the area, contrary to what they said was presented to the community as an agricultural project.
They claimed that some mining equipment belonging to the company had previously been seized and handed over to the police before being released.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, accused the state government of misleading the community over the purpose of the project, alleging that mining activities, rather than farming, were being planned on the land.
Another resident, Aishatu, described the development as “worrisome and disheartening,” accusing the administration of Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of neglecting the interests of local farmers and vulnerable residents.
The demonstrators urged the government to reverse the allocation, warning that the loss of farmlands could threaten livelihoods and disrupt peace in the area.
The protest came barely a week after the Niger State Government formally handed over the land to Abuja Steel Mills Limited for the development of a solar farm and industrial park at a groundbreaking ceremony in Diko.
During the groundbreaking, Bago described the project as a landmark initiative aimed at reshaping the state’s industrial landscape and attracting sustainable investments.
According to the governor, the solar farm and industrial park are part of his administration’s plan to transform Niger State into a leading investment destination and create jobs for residents.
He also disclosed plans by the government to gazette about 200,000 hectares of land stretching from Diko to Tafa, along the Kaduna border, for industrial development, saying the state intends to leverage the AKK gas pipeline and its vast land resources to become a major industrial hub.
However, the latest protest highlights growing tensions between the government’s drive for industrial development and concerns among local communities over land rights and livelihoods.
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