Akwa Ibom Police Accused of Trespass: Human Rights Community Demands Justice and Property Rights Protection
The Akwa Ibom Human Rights Community (AKHRC)—a coalition of civil society organizations, including Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Faith Based Organizations (FBOs), institutions, and individuals dedicated to promoting, protecting, and practicing the observance of human rights for all persons in Akwa Ibom State, as well as indigenes residing outside the state—has publicly condemned the Akwa Ibom State Police Command for allegedly trespassing onto a privately owned property. The property in question, located at 25th Anniversary Estate Road, Afaha Idoro, in the Uyo Local Government Area, is legally owned by a private business concern, Nature Control Company Limited.
Background: The Property and the Alleged Trespass
Clifford Thomas, a human rights activist and Uyo-based lawyer, disclosed the details during a press interaction at the community’s office in Uyo. According to Thomas, the land involved measures approximately 9.529 hectares. He explained that the Akwa Ibom State Command of the Nigerian Police forcefully entered the property and has refused to vacate, despite clear evidence of legitimate ownership.
“Documentary evidence confirms that the land in issue is private property owned by Nature Control Company Limited, which has made substantive investment in acquiring the property legitimately from the previous allottee and owner, Papi Events and Promotions Limited,” Thomas stated. Papi Events and Promotions Limited had received the allocation from the Akwa Ibom State Government on May 22, 2023, for residential purposes.
On August 23, 2023, Papi Events and Promotions Limited nominated and appointed Nature Control Company Limited as its true and lawful attorney over 7.340 hectares (following boundary demarcation) out of the total 9.529 hectares. This transaction effectively transferred ownership to Nature Control Company Limited.
Police Refusal to Vacate Despite Clear Boundaries
Thomas emphasized that the Nigerian Police never had legal claim to the land. “The Nigerian Police has never had the land, but had forcefully trespassed into the land and refused to vacate, even after the communities that donated the land to the government conducted a boundary adjustment through the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Lands and Town Planning. Several other authorities made it very clear that the police land did not extend to this parcel. However, the police refused to vacate and restrain their incursion into the property.”
Efforts to engage the Commissioner of Police to understand the situation and peacefully resolve the matter were met with “stiff resistance,” according to Thomas.
Impact on Property Development and Public Use
According to Thomas, the Nigerian Mobile Police have continued their acts of trespass, preventing the rightful owner from developing the property and putting it to public use. “During the establishment of the boundaries of both lands, the Surveyor General of Akwa Ibom State produced a survey plan indicating portions of the land belonging to Nature Control Company Limited and that of the Police Mobile Force. The Survey Plan is available for inspection and verification,” he added.
The Akwa Ibom State Government, through the Ministry of Lands and Town Planning, conducted a Joint Inspection and Regularization on March 13, 2026, to establish the boundaries between the owner and the police. Furthermore, Nature Control Company Limited obtained consent from the Akwa Ibom State Government on February 5, 2026, to develop their land. Despite these official actions, the police have continued to intimidate and harass workers and partners attempting to develop the property.
Intimidation and Threats of Violence
Thomas detailed the severe impact of the police’s actions: “Actions of the Police in continuing the trespass by intimidation and harassment have caused great loss to the owner. The Police used the force of arms to instill fear in those working on the land and threatened to shoot and kill anyone found on the land. The owner has suffered loss, shock, hardship, financial loss, damages, and a significant setback to the intended project.”
This behavior not only violates property rights but also undermines the rule of law and the constitutional protections afforded to all Nigerian citizens.
Appeals to Higher Authorities
The Akwa Ibom Human Rights Community has formally informed the Office of the Inspector General of Police, the Minister of Police Affairs, and the Police Service Commission about this development. They are calling on these authorities to use their good offices to advise the officers involved in this scheme in Akwa Ibom State to cease their unlawful actions.
Broader Context: Land Grabbing in Nigeria
Thomas highlighted a troubling trend: “Land-grabbing has become a very dangerous phenomenon in Nigeria, and this is done with reckless abandon using the coercive weapons of force to intimidate and chase out the legitimate owners of the land. This must not be allowed to happen in Akwa Ibom State. This dangerous phenomenon and precedence must not be allowed to happen in the State. It must be resisted by all.”
Land grabbing, often perpetrated by individuals or entities with state or security connections, represents a systemic failure in property rights enforcement. It disproportionately affects small business owners and private citizens who lack the political or financial power to resist. The AKHRC’s stance underscores the need for accountability and transparency in land administration.
Constitutional Guarantees and Legal Recourse
Thomas reminded the public of the constitutional protections enshrined in Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended): “The right to own movable and immovable properties is guaranteed. And no authority or person has the power to deprive anyone of his right to own property. This is a constitutional right, and the owner cannot be alienated from enjoying this right.”
The aggrieved owner is now challenging this unlawful and unconstitutional violation of fundamental rights in court. “We are seeking redress and to get the injury corrected so that development on the property, which is long overdue, could commence immediately,” Thomas concluded.
Call to Action
Finally, Thomas appealed to the authorities to prevail on the police to restrict themselves to the land accommodating the Mobile Police Base and to cease trespassing onto the private property of a law-abiding Nigerian citizen.
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