Members of the Brumuke Sana Family in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have protested over an unresolved compensation dispute involving land used for an oil and gas facility.

The family, supported by community members, held a peaceful protest last week against Renaissance African Energy Company Limited. The company now operates assets formerly owned by Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited (SPDC).

The protesters accused the company of using their ancestral land without paying what they consider fair compensation. They carried placards calling for payment and recognition of their land rights.

Dispute Over 7,382.805 Square Metres

The dispute concerns about 7,382.805 square metres of land. The Brass Creek Oil and Gas Manifold and Heliport occupies the property.

The facility links the Tunu, Opukushi and Beniseide Flow Stations with the Forcados Terminal in neighbouring Delta State. The family says the land has supported oil operations for years without a settlement of its compensation claim.

Family representatives also alleged that they have not received royalties or other benefits linked to the use of the property.

Family Seeks Government Intervention

Community representatives said they have tried several ways to resolve the dispute. They said they sent petitions to Renaissance Energy, the Bayelsa State Government, the police, the Joint Task Force and other agencies.

Chief Ken Aguna and former community women leader Mrs Butter Felix-Anebi said the petitions have not produced a solution.

The family head, Bonaze Maxwell Brumuke, said the dispute has placed a heavy financial burden on him. The octogenarian has spent years pursuing the matter through petitions and court processes.

According to the family, Julius Berger assessed the land in 1993. They claim that the assessment did not lead to payment of compensation.

Community Leaders Support Land Claim

Traditional leaders from the Peretoru-Gbene Federated Communities have also backed the family’s claim.

Dr Timi Odikeme Okere (Foukeregha IV), the Secretary to the Chiefs Council, Awulu Dumbo, and Chief Edward Ayiba said the community recognises Brumuke as the legitimate owner of the disputed land.

Chief Osadebe Okoun and Chief Tekearede Oyabrade also supported the family’s position.

The community leaders called on Renaissance Energy to meet with the family and address the compensation dispute. They said a settlement would help reduce tension in the oil-producing area.

Land Rights and Infrastructure

The dispute highlights the importance of clear land ownership and fair compensation when companies develop infrastructure on community land.

Land remains a key part of Nigeria’s infrastructure and development system. Oil facilities, roads, housing projects and other developments often depend on access to land.

Clear ownership records can help reduce disputes between landowners, companies and government agencies. Fair compensation can also help communities participate in development without losing their property rights.

For the Brumuke Sana Family, however, the immediate issue remains its claim for compensation over the land occupied by the Brass Creek facility.

As of the time of filing, attempts to obtain a response from Renaissance African Energy Company Limited were unsuccessful.

The family and community leaders are calling for direct talks with the company. They want the long-running dispute resolved through a process that recognises the family’s claim to the land and addresses its compensation concerns.

The case also shows why effective land administration matters to infrastructure development. When ownership and compensation issues remain unresolved, disputes can continue for years and affect both communities and companies operating in the affected areas.

The post Bayelsa Family Demands Compensation Over Oil Facility Land appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria has raised serious concerns regarding the ongoing confiscation of private lands by state governments across the federation. According to the advocacy group, various state chief executives are increasingly exploiting provisions within the national land framework to take over private assets without providing equitable recourse to the affected individuals. The organization noted that the trend has historically generated severe financial and emotional trauma for thousands of families nationwide.

In a public statement, the national coordinator of the group, Emmanuel Onwubiko, stressed that the legal authority to acquire land for public development must not be handled with high-handedness. He pointed out that previous administrative actions in states such as Lagos, Anambra, and older dispensations in Kaduna left numerous citizens displaced from their ancestral properties and businesses without receiving timely or commensurate financial restitution. The rights group insisted that infrastructure development and the protection of citizen asset rights should coexist harmoniously within a democratic society.

Conversely, the association highlighted the recent approach of the current Kaduna State administration led by Governor Uba Sani as a positive model for governance. The state government recently modified the implementation schedule of its 15-kilometre ring road initiative to execute a transparent valuation of all impacted structures prior to any displacement. Consequently, the administration distributed compensation payouts to 122 households, bringing the total infrastructure-related restitution expenditure in the state to over N3 billion.

The advocacy body has called on governors across all tiers of the federation to institutionalize structural reforms that prioritize community engagement before land acquisitions occur. The group concluded that public trust and sustainable development can only be maintained when state governments treat individual property owners as active partners in regional growth rather than peripheral casualties of infrastructural expansion.

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Ten years after the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) designated 9,000 hectares of land in Kawu, Bwari Area Council, for a grazing reserve, affected communities have accused authorities of failing to pay compensation while allowing widespread encroachment on their ancestral lands.

The grazing reserve initiative was announced in 2016 by former FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello, following complaints about cattle grazing within Abuja city and along major highways. The policy was aimed at relocating herders from the city centre to designated grazing reserves across the territory.

Under the arrangement, the FCTA earmarked 33,485 hectares across Paikon Kore, Karshi, Kawu, and Rubochi to accommodate an estimated seven million cattle.

Communities Allege Encroachment, Loss of Farmlands

Residents of Kurmi Dauda and other affected communities said the relocation policy has resulted in increasing land disputes, destruction of farmlands, and loss of livelihoods.

The Chief of Kurmi Dauda, Musa Manasseh Bawa, alleged that herders have continued to occupy farmlands, claiming the government allocated the land to them.

According to him, residents frequently wake up to discover that their cultivated lands have been taken over without consultation or official documentation.

Bawa lamented that farming activities, including the cultivation of beans, yam, banana, and other crops, have been severely affected, while some economic trees have reportedly been destroyed by grazing cattle.

Government Returns With Development Projects

In September 2025, the Federal Government resumed activities at the Kawu Grazing Reserve as part of efforts to relocate herders and modernise livestock production.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Maiha, inaugurated a solar-powered borehole and announced plans for extensive infrastructure development, including roads, irrigation facilities, schools, healthcare centres, security installations, markets, and pasture production centres.

The minister described the project as a major intervention aimed at transforming the reserve into a modern livestock hub capable of supporting thousands of herders and their families.

Landowners Say They Were Excluded

Despite the government’s renewed investments, community leaders insist that they were neither consulted nor compensated before the land was converted into a grazing reserve.

Bawa stated that approximately 12 communities have ancestral claims to the affected land, with some villages still residing within the reserve while others continue to farm there.

He called on the FCTA to immediately demarcate the reserve to clearly define the boundaries between host communities and grazing areas.

According to him, proper demarcation would significantly reduce conflicts and prevent further encroachment.

Similarly, the Mai Angwa of Anguwan Rana, Yunana Bebe, appealed to the government to reduce the size of the grazing reserve and establish clear boundaries to ensure peaceful coexistence.

OIDA Raises Alarm Over Security Concerns

The Original Inhabitants Development Association of Abuja (OIDA) said repeated complaints to government authorities have yielded little response.

The association disclosed that it wrote several petitions to the FCT Administration and security agencies, warning that the influx of herders from neighbouring states had heightened tensions and security concerns in affected communities.

OIDA President, Pastor Danladi Jeji, warned that the situation could deteriorate into a major crisis if urgent action is not taken.

According to him, communities are becoming increasingly frustrated over what they perceive as injustice and neglect by relevant authorities.

FCTA Confirms Compensation Yet to Be Paid

Officials of the Department of Resettlement and Compensation of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) confirmed that compensation has not been paid to affected communities.

An official explained that compensation processes can only begin after the appropriate authority formally initiates the exercise and requests the department’s supervision.

However, no timeline was provided regarding when such payments might commence.

Livestock Ministry Distances Itself From Compensation

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development acknowledged that the grazing reserve project remains a priority but stated that compensation issues fall outside its direct mandate.

The ministry said it continues to engage relevant authorities while developing frameworks to regulate access to the reserve and protect host communities.

However, it did not disclose specific timelines for resolving compensation claims or completing stakeholder engagements.

Legal Expert Cites Land Use Act

Legal practitioner Isaac Steven said the Land Use Act clearly outlines the government’s powers and obligations regarding land acquisition.

According to him, while Section 28 permits land revocation for overriding public interest, Section 29 mandates the payment of adequate compensation to affected landowners and occupiers.

He argued that if compensation has indeed not been paid, affected communities may have legal grounds to challenge the acquisition.

Steven advised community leaders to pursue dialogue with the FCT Administration while also exploring legal remedies if negotiations fail.

Growing Calls for Urgent Intervention

As infrastructure projects continue at the Kawu Grazing Reserve, community leaders are demanding immediate demarcation of the reserve, payment of compensation, and stronger safeguards to protect their remaining farmlands.

They warned that failure to address the grievances of host communities could further escalate tensions and undermine the objectives of the grazing reserve programme.

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