The Anaguta Youth Movement (AYM), says it is “strongly” in support of efforts by the management of the University of Jos to demarcate and secure its lands and other properties against encroachment by outsiders.
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Mr Moses Dawang, National President of AYM, made this known at a press conference on Monday in Jos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that some youths resident at Naraguta village, the host community of university of Jos, on Saturday attacked some security operatives and management of the university when they came to demarcate the institution’s boundary with the community.
The situation later turned violent as the youths burnt four houses and some worship centres.
The Police Command in Plateau has, however, confirmed that normalcy had since returned to the community.
According to Dawang, University of Jos legitimately and properly acquired every land the institution is situated on, hence reserves the right to protect it from being encroached upon.
“As we are all aware, Anaguta are the aborigines of Jos North and then host community of all the land housing the University of Jos. As the host community, we are aware that the university had legitimately and properly acquired every land it is situated upon.
“We, the Anaguta youths are calling on the authority of the university and the government to continue the demarcation of all its legitimate lands in order to secure and protect them against land grabbers, speculators and hoodlums
“The land housing the university has genuine documents to its acquisition, so the university management has every right to such lands as it deems fit.
“Any individual or group that has any issue with the university on the acquisition of the lands should seek legal means of addressing it rather than resorting to violence and break of law and order,” he said.
The National President called on government and the security agencies to decisively deal with any one seen encroaching on the university lands and other properties, charging them to arrest and prosecute anyone caught attacking university staff working on the land.
He also advised natives of Anaguta domiciled in the area to desist from tampering with the land and other properties of the university, adding that the youths would ensure that no one caught is spared.
“As a community, we all know that no one is above the law, so there is every need for government and the security agencies to be decisive in dealing with the people that have repeatedly attacked management of the university and encroached on its lands.
“We, however, call on Anaguta people that are encroaching on any property of the university to stop forth with or we shall hand them over to the appropriate authorities,” he said.
Dawang called on government to urgently reach out to members of the Naraguta community that suffered huge losses as a result of Saturday’s incident, adding that such moves would cushion the effects of the their loses.
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