The Tangale Community Overseas (TCO) has called on the Gombe State Government to publicly clarify allegations that portions of the Tangale ancestral highlands in the Billiri Local Government Area may be designated for pastoral settlement.
In a statement attributed to TCO spokesman Dr Eli Ibrahim Kerek and issued following consultations with the Tangale Community Development Association (TCDA), the Kwagam Tangale Socio-Cultural Association (KTSCA) and the Tangale Elders Forum (TEF), TCO said any action affecting indigenous lands without community consent would be unacceptable.
The concern followed a June 24, 2026 statement by the Centre for Justice on Religion and Ethnicity in Nigeria (CJREN) alleging that the state government was considering plans that could limit indigenous access to parts of the Tangale highlands while opening portions for pastoral settlement. “The Gombe State Government has not publicly confirmed the claims.”
“The Tangale homeland is not vacant land. It is not state property to be redistributed at will. It is the living inheritance of a people whose history predates modern administrative structures,” TCO said.
The group argued that any proposal to allocate, reclassify or restrict access to Tangale ancestral lands without the “free, prior and informed consent” of affected communities would violate customary rights and international principles protecting indigenous peoples.
TCO urged the government to disclose whether any discussions, policy proposals or official documents exist on the matter.
The Overseas community demanded publication of all relevant documents and communications.
Independent verification of land use in the affected areas, including Kumana and Kufai, and assurances that no ancestral lands will be acquired or reassigned without transparent consultation.
The organisation also questioned a recent rejoinder by the Tangale Traditional Council, saying it failed to clarify whether traditional rulers participated in meetings with government officials on the alleged proposals.
“The Tangale people are entitled to the truth. Silence, evasion and half-statements cannot substitute for accountability,” TCO said.
It disputed the council’s claim that farming does not occur on the highlands, noting that many residents depend on farmland in the area for their livelihoods.
TCO described the Tangale highlands as central to the identity of the people, citing ancestral settlements; sacred hills used for traditional rites; the historic Mai Tangale Palace site; and early Christian mission sites, including the first church and school in Tangale land.
“Any policy affecting these locations without meaningful consultation would amount to cultural dispossession,” the group warned, adding that restrictions could also threaten food production and household incomes.
The group referenced the ongoing court case over the Mai Tangale stool, saying institutions whose authority is being challenged should not speak conclusively on ancestral land matters. It noted TCDA’s earlier establishment of an alternative cultural structure, Tangale PONAR, and urged the government to be cautious until the legal dispute is resolved.
TCO appealed to residents to remain peaceful and pursue concerns through lawful means.
“We reject secrecy. We reject exclusion. We reject any process that treats our ancestral homeland as disposable,” the statement said.
As of press time, the Gombe State Government had not issued a public response to TCO’s statement.
Leave a Reply