Late Gyang Davou Family Drags Gindiri Brothers, Stone Company to Court Over Father’s Inheritance — Allege Criminal Trespass and Mischief
By: Labaran Ahmed
The family of late Mr. Gyang Davou of Nyango Gyel, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, has filed a suit before the Plateau State High Court against Musa Paul Gindiri, Dauda Paul Gindiri, and Garta-Gere Stone Crushing Company Limited, alleging criminal trespass, mischief, and unlawful encroachment on their late father’s landed property.
In the suit numbered PLD/J556/25, filed through their counsel A. Oloche, Esq., the plaintiffs, led by Mr. Pam Chu, are demanding justice over what they described as “an illegal takeover and trespass on their ancestral inheritance” by the defendants.
According to the plaintiffs, the disputed property — measuring approximately 379,384.514 square meters (about 39 hectares) — is situated at Kilometer 8, Yakubu Gowon Way, Bukuru Road, Jos South, and spans through Mungyel in Dadin Kowa (Barkin Akawu) area, extending to the WAEC office, opposite the Air Force Girls Secondary School, Jenny Filling Station, and Kalwa House.
Pam Chu, who is suing in his personal capacity and on behalf of the surviving grandchildren of the late Gyang Davou, asserted that the land has been in their family since 1974 and that no compensation or legal transfer has ever been made to any member of the Gindiri family or the stone company.
He further condemned what he termed as “illegal arrests” of some youths by government authorities during the land dispute, calling on Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang and security agencies to uphold the rule of law and safeguard the rights of citizens rather than interfere in a matter already before a competent court.
“We are appealing to the Plateau State Government to embark on a thorough investigation into the ownership and inheritance rights of the customary owners of the disputed land,” said Pam Chu.
The claimants also cited Sections 38 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Articles 2 and 3 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantee protection from discrimination and respect for ownership rights.
Meanwhile, the community head of Nyango Gyel, Alhaji Salisu Abubakar, in an exclusive interview, appealed to Governor Mutfwang to intervene and ensure the release of the detained youths, stressing that the community had acquired part of the land for use as a burial ground from the late Gyang Davou years ago.
“We are a peaceful community. Government should dialogue with all parties to find a lasting solution. Those who acquired portions of the land have already begun development,” Abubakar said.
He expressed surprise over the recent arrests, noting that government agencies acted without consulting the community leadership.
Similarly, one of the affected landowners, Mr. Christopher D. Lang, called for urgent government intervention, insisting that the Gyang Davou family remains the legitimate owners of the property and that the Gindiri family has no documented proof of purchase or ownership.
“The so-called family of Paul Gindiri cannot provide any evidence of payment to us. We inherited this land from our forefathers,” Lang said.
The case has further highlighted growing tension over customary land rights in Plateau State, with calls for the government to pursue peaceful resolution rather than enforcement actions that may escalate community unrest.
