The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria has urged state governors to adopt Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani’s approach to land acquisition, describing his compensation policy as a model for balancing infrastructure development with citizens’ constitutional rights.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group commended Sani for compensating residents affected by the 15-kilometre Ring Road project stretching from Danbushiya Junction to Danhono 2 Junction in Millennium City.
HURIWA said the governor had demonstrated a humane and rights-based application of the Land Use Act by ensuring that affected property owners received compensation before being displaced.
The organisation particularly praised Sani’s declaration that public interest should never be used to justify injustice, adding that development should not come at the expense of fairness and compassion.
According to HURIWA, those principles should serve as the benchmark for all state governors exercising powers under the Land Use Act.
The group noted that although the law empowers state governments to acquire land for overriding public interest, such powers must not be exercised arbitrarily or in ways that leave citizens without adequate compensation.
It stressed that governments have a responsibility to balance public interest with the constitutional right to own property.
HURIWA also lamented what it described as years of compulsory land acquisitions across several states without fair treatment for affected residents.
The association cited reports of property owners in states including Lagos, Anambra and Kaduna under the previous administration who allegedly lost homes, businesses and ancestral lands without adequate compensation.
It said Governor Sani’s decision to slow work on parts of the Ring Road project to allow for transparent assessment of affected properties reflected a commitment to justice and accountability.
The group further welcomed the governor’s assurance that no resident of Kaduna State would lose property to government projects without fair and adequate compensation.
According to HURIWA, the payment of compensation to 122 affected households and the disclosure that more than N3bn has been paid to residents impacted by various infrastructure projects demonstrate a governance style anchored on justice rather than convenience.
The organisation called on governors across the country to institutionalise transparent compensation processes, engage communities before acquiring land for public projects and ensure prompt, fair and equitable compensation in line with constitutional provisions.
It added that governments would earn greater public trust by pursuing development with fairness, empathy and respect for the rule of law, stressing that sustainable development is only possible when citizens are treated as partners in progress rather than victims of it.
