UYO, Nigeria — A private firm in Akwa Ibom State has filed a petition with the Human Rights Community alleging that the State Police Command illegally occupied land that belongs to the company and violated its constitutional rights.
Human‑rights lawyer Clifford Thomas, chairman of the Akwa Ibom Human Rights Community, briefed reporters in Uyo on Friday, stating that the group will sue the police on behalf of Nature Control Company Limited. Thomas urged the Inspector General of Police, the Minister of Police Affairs and the Police Service Commission to intervene and order the command to vacate the disputed property.
The petition claims Nature Control Company Limited is the rightful owner of approximately 9.53 hectares on the 25th Anniversary Estate Road, Afaha Idoro, Uyo. The firm says it acquired the land from the former allottee, Papi Events and Promotions Limited, which received the allocation from the Akwa Ibom State Government on 22 May 2023 for residential use. On 23 August 2023, Papi Events appointed Nature Control as its attorney for 7.34 hectares of the parcel, transferring ownership to the company.
According to the petition, the Nigeria Police Force never possessed the land but “forcefully trespassed” onto it and refused to leave despite boundary adjustments confirmed by the State Ministry of Lands and Town Planning and the Surveyor General of Akwa Ibom State. The Surveyor General’s plan delineates portions belonging to Nature Control and to the Police Mobile Force, and it is available for public inspection.
Nature Control obtained consent from the state government on 5 February 2026 to develop its portion of the site. The firm alleges that police officers have since intimidated workers and partners, hindering construction. The company intends to seek judicial redress for the alleged infringement of its fundamental rights and to proceed with development.
DSP Timfon John, spokesperson for the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, countered the allegations, asserting that the land was allocated to the 26 Squadron of the Police Mobile Force by the state government in 1992. John described the claims of land grabbing as “unfounded and baseless,” emphasizing that the command does not tolerate unlawful encroachment on police property.
John added that an individual presented a purported allocation letter in 2024, prompting the command to write to the Honourable Commissioner for Lands to reject the claim and request an impartial investigation. The command is awaiting the investigation’s outcome and says it will protect its assets through lawful means while urging all parties to respect due‑process procedures.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions over land rights and governmental allocations in Nigeria, with the outcome expected to influence future interactions between private investors and security agencies. Media Talk Africa will monitor developments as the case proceeds through the courts and administrative channels.
