The Alliance for Truth and Democracy (ATD) has warned against any attempt to transfer or acquire Benue communities’ ancestral land through what it described as an opaque arrangement.
The group was reacting to reports of a meeting convened at Government House, Makurdi, involving traditional rulers from Gwer West and selected APC stakeholders over a proposal reportedly involving large-scale agriculture and flood control.
In a statement signed by its President, Jerome Zoho, on August 22, 2026, ATD called on Governor Hyacinth Alia to provide detailed information about the proposal.
The organisation alleged that communities around Agagbe and other areas along the River Benue were being approached to make land available for the project.
Group Seeks Details of Proposed Project
ATD said several important questions remained unanswered, including how much land was being requested, who the proposed foreign investors were and under what conditions the land would be acquired.
It also demanded clarification on who would own and control the proposed project.
The group further questioned reports that about ₦20 million was distributed during the meeting and that participants were required to sign a register.
ATD asked the government to publish the register and explain precisely what participants were being asked to sign.
Concerns Over Land Ownership
The organisation said Benue ancestral land should not be treated as government property that can be transferred without the involvement and consent of communities.
It stressed that land remains closely connected to families and communities whose ancestors lived, farmed and were buried on the land.
The group warned that traditional institutions should not be used to legitimise any arrangement that could dispossess communities.
‘No Secret Land Arrangement’
ATD demanded that the state government publish the names of investors, proposed acreage, affected communities and relevant contractual or investment documents.
It also called for clarification on whether the proposal had any relationship with livestock settlements, communal ranches, grazing reserves or other pastoral development initiatives.
The organisation said the people had a right to know the purpose and terms of any project before community land was committed.
Governor Asked to Retrace Steps
ATD urged Governor Alia to suspend all processes linked to the proposed land acquisition until comprehensive disclosure and consultation with affected communities had taken place.
The group said Benue people had endured displacement and loss of property and lives over the years and warned that land-related decisions must therefore be handled with utmost transparency.
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“Benue belongs to its people. Our land is our inheritance,” ATD stated.
The organisation called for genuine community consultation and transparency if the state government intends to attract investors to Benue.
