On Wednesday, the people of Diko, located in the Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State, organized a protest against the state’s decision to hand over 500 hectares of ancestral farmland to Abuja Steel Mills Limited. The company intends to build a solar farm and an industrial park on the site. Protesters, including local youth, women, elders, and community figures, gathered at the property to express their firm opposition with chants of “Ba ma so, ba ma yi.”
Community members claim that the land is rightfully theirs and that the government failed to consult them before the allocation. Suspicion regarding the true nature of the project has deepened, with some residents alleging that company representatives originally sought to explore for minerals rather than build a farm. There were reports of past confrontations where mining equipment was confiscated and turned over to local law enforcement. One anonymous local official accused the state of deception, suggesting the real goal is industrial mining rather than energy production.
Aishatu, a local resident, expressed deep frustration, criticizing the administration of Governor Mohammed Umar Bago for disregarding the welfare of local farmers. The demonstrators have called for an immediate cancellation of the project, citing the potential loss of their primary means of survival. This tension follows a recent groundbreaking ceremony where Governor Bago emphasized that the project is essential for industrial growth and job creation. The state government has broader ambitions to transform the Diko-to-Tafa corridor into a massive industrial zone connected to the AKK gas pipeline, but the community’s resistance underscores a significant disconnect between state development goals and local land rights.
