The Shabazhe Youth Movement for Shiroro Riverine Areas in Niger State has raised concerns over the Federal Government’s inability to fully compensate some riverine communities affected by the construction of the 700 megawatts (MW) Zungeru Hydro Electric Dam in Niger State.

Chairman of the movement, Zubairu Umar Jiko, expressed the frustration of the locals during a press conference held in Minna on Friday.
He stated that over 90% of the affected communities were in Shiroro local council.

“The people of Shiroro, who sacrificed their ancestral homes for the dam’s construction have been persistently advocating for their rights as host communities, the affected communities include Washa Lawo, Zauna Lawo, Maje Lawo, and Jadindi Fulani Lawo and many others that could not be listed,” he said.

Jiko explained that an assessment of crops and economic trees has been conducted across the local communities affected since 2013, stressing that the compensation paid had remained incomplete for over one decade.

He noted that despite a court ruling on June 16th, 2016, the Federal Government failed on its initial promise of paying full compensation to the people, the movement had, therefore, demanded immediate compensation based on the 2013 assessment report.

The youth movement had enjoined the federal government to work out necessary modalities regarding the (71) newly affected communities and initiate action for the compensation of the (35) new settlement sites.

Zubairu Jiko also disclosed that some other communities have also been affected negatively, calling on the federal government to address all the outline grievances in no distance time.

Zubairu had vowed that if their demands were not met within 14 days, the youth movement would have no choice but to initiate legal proceedings against the federal government for contempt of court.

“We are committed to a peaceful resolution concerning our ancestral communities, pointing out that we will not hesitate to take legal action to safeguard our people’s rights,” Jiko warned.