The Atyap Community Development Association (ACDA) has raised alarm over what it described as a “dangerous and divisive” petition aimed at tarnishing the image of the Agwatyap, His Royal Highness Sir Dominic Gambo Yahaya, and destabilising peace in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
In a statement signed by its President, Dr. Samuel T. Achie, ACDA alleged that the petition, authored by a group calling itself “Concerned Residents of Zango Urban,” falsely accused the paramount ruler of injustices.
The association described the petition as “malicious, inciting, and inflammatory,” warning that its contents could provoke avoidable ethno-religious tensions. It called on security agencies to identify and prosecute those behind the document before it disrupts the peace that has been nurtured over the years.
The controversial petition accused the Agwatyap of denying members of the Zango Urban community access to farmlands allegedly cultivated by their forefathers for over 400 years. It also claimed that the monarch, alongside some chiefs and prominent Kataf individuals, was misusing his powers to oppress the community.
Reacting to the allegations, ACDA described them as “entirely baseless and fabricated,” insisting that Sir Dominic is widely respected by both Hausa and Fulani residents for his generosity, fairness, and commitment to peacebuilding. The association said the monarch had maintained peace in his domain despite unprovoked attacks, killings, and destruction of property in the past.
“Land ownership in Atyap land, as in any other Nigerian community, is vested in individuals or families, not ethnic groups,” the association stated. “Disputes are settled through traditional arbitration or the courts, not by blackmailing traditional leaders.”
ACDA further alleged that the petition was the handiwork of “a few mischief-makers and ethnic chauvinists” determined to sow seeds of discord and revive the dark days of communal violence in the state. The group vowed to resist such attempts through lawful means.
The association also expressed disappointment that the traditional leadership in Zango Urban District had not called the petitioners to order despite acknowledging that the allegations were false. It said such silence amounted to tacit endorsement of illegality.
ACDA demanded an immediate retraction of what it called a “libelous publication” and warned that failure to do so would be regarded as a deliberate attempt to sabotage peace. It urged all residents to shun inflammatory propaganda and work towards sustaining harmony in the chiefdom.
The statement reaffirmed the community’s loyalty to the Agwatyap, the Kaduna State Government, and the Federal Government, while appealing to all peace-loving Nigerians to disregard the petition in its entirety.
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