Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A family in Kaduna State has accused the Village Head of Danlawal, Sani Sambo, of hiring armed thugs to brutally assault a father and his two sons over a lingering farmland dispute in Ikara Local Government Area. The victims, identified as Ishaya Jarmai and his two sons, are members of the indigenous non-Muslim Hausa-speaking community, popularly known across Nigeria's Northwest as Maguzawa, according to a report by SaharaReporters published on Monday, August 3, 2026.
Speaking to SaharaReporters, Nuhu Ishaya, one of the sons of the injured farmer, accused the traditional ruler of orchestrating the attack after allegedly failing to take possession of the disputed land through other means. "My father and my two brothers were attacked by armed thugs carrying dangerous weapons. They inflicted serious injuries on them. We believe the attackers were sent by the Village Head because he stood from a distance watching his hired men assaulting my family over the ongoing land dispute," Ishaya said. He alleged that the attack occurred despite a subsisting court order restraining the Village Head from taking over the disputed farmlands. "There is a valid court order stopping him from interfering with the land, but he ignored it. Instead, he allegedly mobilised thugs who invaded our farms, destroyed crops that had just begun growing and violently attacked members of my family," he added.
Ishaya further claimed to possess an audio recording in which one of the alleged attackers confessed that the Village Head paid him N800,000 to carry out the assault. "I have an audio conversation where one of the assailants admitted that the Village Head paid him N800,000 to attack and brutalise my father and members of my family. We have submitted this and other evidence to the relevant security agencies," he said. He described the traditional ruler as "a serial land grabber" who allegedly confiscates farmlands belonging to villagers before selling them to influential individuals. "This has become a pattern. He allegedly takes people's ancestral farmlands and reallocates or sells them to wealthy and politically exposed persons, leaving many families without means of livelihood," Ishaya alleged.
He appealed to security agencies and the Kaduna State Government to intervene. "We are calling on the authorities to stop the continued harassment, intimidation and illegal encroachment on our family's land. We have reported the matter to the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services in Kaduna State and expect justice to be done," he said.
However, when contacted by SaharaReporters, the Village Head, Sani Sambo, denied sponsoring any attack on Jarmai and his family. "I did not sponsor anybody to attack them," Sambo said. "My intention is simply to recover the disputed farmlands because they belong to the Zazzau Emirate." He maintained that his actions were motivated by community interest rather than personal gain. "The plan is to redistribute the land to idle youths in the community so they can engage in farming and other productive activities. That is one way of reducing insecurity in the area," he said. The traditional ruler also rejected allegations that he was involved in land grabbing or the sale of community land to influential individuals.
The incident has highlighted the persistent challenges of land disputes in Kaduna State, where conflicts over farmland have often escalated into violence, leaving families displaced and communities fractured. The family's appeal to security agencies and the state government underscores the urgent need for intervention to prevent further escalation and ensure that justice is served.
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