Bauchi Residents Protest Eviction From Housing Estate, Seeks Tinubu’s Help

Residents of the 2016 National Housing Scheme in Bauchi State took to the streets Tuesday in protest against an alleged plan to evict them from their homes.

The protesters appealed to President Bola Tinubu to step in and halt the process.

The occupants, mostly low-income earners, live in two-bedroom semi-detached bungalows located in a Federal Housing Estate. They accused the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, in collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force, of attempting to forcefully remove them.

Mohammed Kabir, secretary of the residents’ association, said the protest aimed to draw attention to what he described as an unfair attempt to eject people who followed due process in acquiring the homes. He explained that residents were given keys and temporary allocations, with the promise of full ownership later.

However, recent eviction notices claim the estate has been sold to the Nigerian Air Force—a move residents say they were never informed about.

One of them, Mohammed Alfa, a federal worker, said he has had housing deductions from his salary for two decades, making him eligible for a home under the federal housing scheme. “We just woke up and were told the estate now belongs to the Air Force. It’s shocking,” he said.

Mrs. Hanatu Sani also appealed to President Tinubu and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, noting that many residents had spent personal funds maintaining the property after it was left neglected.

A human rights lawyer, Barrister Mohammed Alkassim, said the planned eviction violates citizens’ right to decent housing, arguing that the estate was not designed as a military housing project. He questioned why only the Bauchi estate is being targeted, if the reported sale to the military is indeed a nationwide decision.

He warned that some residents were issued 24-hour notices to vacate and urged the Housing Ministry to act fast to avoid a humanitarian crisis.

In response, Architect Nwamadu Herbertson, the Housing Controller in Bauchi, described the residents as illegal occupants. He said no official allocations were made, even though interest forms were distributed earlier. He also denied any sale of the estate to the Nigerian Air Force.

Despite the Ministry’s denial, the residents remain firm in their plea for government intervention, urging authorities to recognize their long-term stay, financial contributions, and effort in maintaining the estate.