From: Ahmed Ilallah
As a concerned citizen of Jigawa State and a native of Hadejia Local Government Area, I feel compelled to draw urgent attention to a deeply troubling incident that strikes at the heart of our local governance.
Under Section 7(1) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended, state Houses of Assembly bear the primary responsibility for establishing, structuring, and overseeing local government councils. Jigawa State’s own local government laws further strengthen this mandate.
Against this backdrop, I call upon the distinguished members of the Jigawa State House of Assembly to investigate a disturbing chain of events stemming from the illegal carving up and sale of public land by Hadejia Local Government Council.
Land disputes in Jigawa are not a mere administrative inconvenience – they are a ticking time bomb. They have the potential to ignite violent community clashes. Indeed, such tensions have already erupted into an extraordinary physical altercation in the very office of the Speaker of the Council.
- FALSE CLAIMS? Good Governance Advocates Defend Hon. Usman Kamfani – “He Did Not Accuse the House of Collecting ₦1–₦3m”
- Jigawa ranks best on fastest growing of IGR in North
- NASSI lauds Gov Namadi for supporting 600 women Tom Brown Producers
- Prime Initiatives urges CSOs to promotes poor’s needs in Budget
- Five Men In Dock Over Owo Church Massacre That Left 50 Worshippers Dead
A video circulating widely on social media captures this shameful moment: a fight between the Speaker and an associate of the Local Government Chairman. (See link: Facebook reference.)
This public brawl not only demeans the dignity of local governance but also undermines the working relationship between the executive and legislative arms in Jigawa State.
It is worth noting that the Jigawa State Executive Council, under the chairmanship of Governor Umar Namadi, resolved in its meeting of Monday, 14 July 2025, to halt all illegal land allocations by local councils. Yet the damage to public confidence has already been done.
I therefore urge the House of Assembly to launch a thorough and transparent oversight investigation into the Hadejia land dispute. The credibility of our institutions – and the reputation of both the Assembly and Jigawa State – depends on swift, decisive action.
Ahmed Ilallah
Jigawa OGP Anti-Corruption Leader &
Secretary, Partnership for Inclusive Local Governance (PILGOB)
