Five river line communities in Niger state have dragged the Federal Government to court demanding amongst others compensation for general damages, economic degradation and destruction of their natural enclave by the construction of the Zungeru Hydro Dam.

Zungeru hydro power generating dam, a yet-to-be-commissioned Federal Government project is one of the four hydropower generating stations domiciled in Niger state. Others are; Shiroro, Jebba and Kainji, all generating electricity used by a greater percentage of Nigerians.

The five communities, representing about 2, 844 original indigenes of Samboro communities in Madaka district, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger state are demanding for N1,115,595,288 as monetary compensation for the general damage on their land.

In the suit which has five Ministers and the Project Manager of the construction firm handling the Zungeru hydro dam as defendants, the plaintiffs are seeking a declaration of the court that the construction of the dam has over time led to the destruction of their sources of livelihood and as well forceful ejection from their ancestral homes.

Among those listed as defendants in the suit included; the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Ministers of Power, Works, Environment, and the Project Manager of the Chinese construction firm, ZYNO, Mr AbiyGetahun.

The communities are praying to the Court for, “a declaration that it is the joint and several acts of the defendants in the construction of the Zungeru dam project leading to continuous flooding and causing negative emotional conditions of Samboro communities leading to forcefully ejecting the plaintiffs from their ancestral homes and subjecting them to immeasurable hardship and irreparable damages to their livelihood”.

That the court should also declare that being original inhabitants of Samboro communities in Rafi Local Government, having suffered as a result of the acts of the defendants, are entitled to monetary compensation for the destruction of their farmlands, economic trees, houses, and well-sabotage to their environment.

The plaintiffs are asking the court for an order of perpetual injunctions restraining the defendants, their servants agents and/or whosoever therein from trespass, further acts of trespass, effecting any acts/actions, conduct any breach prejudicial and reprehensive to them.

They are also seeking for an order of the Court directing and compelling the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th defendant to within 48 hours of delivery of judgement, pay to the plaintiffs the sum of one trillion, one hundred and fifteen billion, five hundred and ninety-five million, forty-seven thousand, five hundred and eighty-eight Naira as monetary compensation for damages to their farmlands, houses, ponds, sabotage to their environment, economic welfare and survival, and as well total annihilation of their sources of livelihood.

However, only the Ministry of Justice as one of the defendants was represented by a Counsel in court when the matter was mentioned last Thursday, and this prompted the counsel to the plaintiffs, Mohammed Ndalani to ask for an adjournment to enable other defendants present their representatives.

The presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Mohammed, therefore, adjourned the matter to June 13th, 2023 for a hearing.

Findings, however, revealed that the Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Producing Dam, the latest of such federal government projects in Niger state is ready for commissioning but the communities are standing against any further action without their compensation.

The displaced persons and the entire river line communities covering the Zungeru hydro dam land space have been engulfed in crisis with host communities who have now taken legal actions against the Federal Government over alleged inadequate compensation. (Daily Independent)

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