Kogi House of Assembly on Monday summoned cement manufacturing firm BUA Group over a 50,000-hectare land it acquired 10 years ago.

The lawmakers gave the summons at a public hearing of one of its ad hoc committees held at a hotel in Lokoja since its complex was gutted by fire penultimate Monday.

Deputy Speaker Alfa Momoh-Rabiu, who read the summons after listening to the acting surveyor-general, Salihu Mustapha, expressed shock at the development.

“We are having (a) problem with the Bua Group over 50,000 hectares of land it acquired in 2012 and even obtained a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) but has not paid a kobo for the land. We have written to the group several times, but it has not responded to any of the letters,” stated Mr Mustapha.

The acting surveyor-general added, “No compensation has been paid to the communities that own the expanse of land.”

Umar Tenimu, the ad hoc committee chairman, said it was an offence for Bua Group to hold the land for more than 10 years without paying for it.

He added that if BUA Group refused to pay for the land and compensate the community, the government should revoke its C of O.

When contacted, BUA spokesman Sunday Ogieva said he could not comment on the issue. 

(NAN)