By Bashir Aliyu, Bauchi
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, paid a condolence visit to Azare in Bauchi State, where recent fire accident engulfed a major market and displaced numerous traders and households. Beyond offering sympathy, Tuggar leveraged the visit to spotlight what he called “the systematic confiscation of farmlands from smallholder farmers and cattle herders”—a practice he cautioned could worsen food insecurity and alienation in rural areas.
“He emphasized that it is unacceptable to dislodge squatters or informal settlers without adequate compensation or meaningful relocation alternatives,” said Alkasim Abdulkadir, Tuggar’s spokesperson. “Displacement without justice only deepens marginalisation and fuels disenchantment in already fragile communities.”
Urging state and national authorities to uphold fairness and human dignity, Tuggar called for respect for land rights amid Bauchi’s accelerated urban expansion. Abdulkadir, summarizing the minister’s position, stated: “Ambassador Tuggar urged authorities at all levels to ensure fairness and human dignity in the enforcement of land policies, and to uphold the rights of indigenous and rural populations.”
To address the immediate fallout of the flooding, Tuggar donated ₦10 million to support affected families. According to Abdulkadir, the funds “are expected to provide immediate relief to victims while broader recovery and policy measures are being considered.”
It could be recalled that Bauchi State Government has intensified efforts to revoke licenses for landowners across the state who have been unable to build their plots of land or update their certificate of occupancy. This heightens fear that the policy aims to revoke people’s lands which according to the minister will not augur well for the peace and harmony in the state.
