Jaji land dispute: Army warns encroachment on cantonment threatens national security

The Nigerian Army has raised fresh concerns over the ongoing land dispute around Jaji Military Cantonment in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, warning that compromising its boundaries could undermine the country’s defence architecture.

The cantonment, home to the Infantry Corps Centre (ICC) and the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), has for years been embroiled in disputes with surrounding communities including Labar Wusono, Hayin Mallam Auta, Ungwan Yahanna, Ungwan Aboki, Ungwan Railway, Ungwan Alhassan, and Ungwan Loya.

Residents accuse the Army of land grabbing, demolition of homes, and disrupting livelihoods, while several lawsuits are pending in state and federal courts.

Military authorities insist, however, that the land—covering 3,333.23 hectares—was lawfully acquired by the Federal Government in the 1980s with compensation paid.

They argue that unchecked encroachment has created security vulnerabilities, with past incidents including terrorist attacks, bandit raids, cattle rustling, and killings of personnel within the cantonment.

Intelligence reports have also linked drug trafficking and other criminal activities to settlements that have sprung up along exposed boundaries.

To address the threat, the Army embarked on fencing the cantonment after consultations with host communities, insisting the measure is for regulated access and protection of critical installations.

It also closed informal markets and disconnected illegal electricity lines, saying both posed serious security risks.

Despite multiple injunctions directing both sides to maintain the status quo, the Army accuses some residents and local leaders of breaching court orders by erecting new structures and engaging in illegal mining, allegedly in collusion with officials and companies.

Military officials stress that the Jaji Cantonment is not just another barracks but a strategic hub for training officers across the Armed Forces.

Allowing encroachment, they warn, threatens combat readiness, enables criminal infiltration, and compromises Nigeria’s defence.

“Cantonments are strategic national assets tied directly to the survival and sovereignty of Nigeria.

“Safeguarding them is not negotiable,” a senior officer said.

For now, the Army says it will continue a dual approach: engaging communities while firmly defending its land rights through legal and security measures.