Lawyer Sues Yobe State for ₦15 Billion Over Land Dispute

I.G. Muhammad, an Abuja-based human rights lawyer, has filed a ₦15 billion lawsuit against the Yobe state government and five other defendants regarding the alleged unlawful revocation of ancestral lands belonging to 79 landholders from Mazaga, Jigawa, and Jahunawa communities in Potiskum Local Government Area.

The suit, filed on September 9, 2026, in the High Court of Justice of Yobe State, Potiskum Judicial Division, contests the revocation and occupation of approximately 148.3 hectares of land intended for the Federal College of Education (Technical), Potiskum. Claimants Adamu Tori, Adamu Maina, and Nuhu Idriss Mohammed represent themselves and 76 other affected landholders.

They seek a court ruling on the legality of the revocation, restoration of their land possession, and compensation for alleged dispossession and losses. The claimants assert that their families have occupied the land since 1875, claiming the revocation did not follow legal procedures, including proper notification.

The court will assess the claims and determine the lawfulness of the actions taken by the defendants.