Alhaji Abdullahi Shuaibu, a resident of Enabo in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State, has appealed to Omoyele Sowore for intervention in a longstanding chieftaincy dispute, alleging that threats against him and his family have forced them from their home.
Presenting his complaint to the SaharaReporters publisher and African Action Congress (AAC) politician, Shuaibu said the disagreement had persisted despite a 2018 court judgment which, according to him, was delivered in his favour.
He alleged that subsequent traditional leadership appointments by the Kogi State Government had deepened the dispute rather than resolved it.
Shuaibu Cites 2018 Court Judgment
Shuaibu traced the litigation to 2012, saying it involved a disagreement over membership of the community’s ruling house and entitlement to a traditional leadership position.
He maintained that the High Court in Ankpa ruled in his favour in 2018. However, he alleged that the state government later appointed another person whose claim had not been granted by the court.
According to Shuaibu, threats against him and his family began in 2020 and have continued.
“I cannot rest in my house. I’m on the run, including my family,” he said.
He attributed the alleged intimidation to the unresolved leadership dispute and appealed for measures that would allow his family to return home safely.
His appeal for peaceful intervention comes amid wider calls for community cohesion in the state, including Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin’s message on Igala unity.
Petitions to Government and Security Authorities
Shuaibu said he had written to the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, the Kogi State Governor, commissioners and human rights organisations seeking intervention.
He said he retained documents relating to the court proceedings and copies of his correspondence with the authorities.
“I have some documents. I wrote a letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation, I wrote to the Inspector-General of Police, and I even wrote to His Excellency, the Governor of Kogi State,” he said.
Despite those efforts, he maintained that the matter remained unresolved and that his family continued to live in fear.
The allegations also bring attention to concerns about intimidation and peaceful dispute resolution in Kogi, where Jibrin previously condemned political violence in Ejule.
Questions Over District Head Appointment
The complainant also questioned the creation of a district in the area around June 2026 and the subsequent inauguration of a district head.
He disputed the appointee’s connection to the community and argued that the selection of a district head should not be treated as a political appointment.
Shuaibu said the development had compounded the existing disagreement over traditional leadership. He asked Sowore to draw public attention to his complaint and encourage the relevant authorities to examine the appointments, the court judgment and his allegations of intimidation.
His appeal centred on securing a lawful resolution to the dispute, protecting his family and restoring peaceful relations in the community.
The account presented does not include the court judgment or responses from the Kogi State Government, the traditional appointees or those accused of making threats. Shuaibu’s description of the ruling and the subsequent appointments therefore remains his account of the dispute.
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