The Stakeholder Of Potiskum Request An Intervention By The Nigerian Human Rights Commission

Mai Potiskum Writes Osinbajo, Buni, NSA, Protests Transfer Of Old Prison To Fika Emirate

Original Publication via Leadership 
July 15 2020, By H.Tyohemba, Abuja
Edited by F. Leku, Plateau

The Mai of Potiskum, HRH Emir Alhaji Umaru Bubaram, seen here on the right has kicked against the transfer of ownership of an abandoned old prison site by the Federal Ministry of Interior to the Council of Fika.

Mai Bubaram, The Emir and stakeholder of Potiskum, made the objection in a letter addressed to the National Human Rights Commission and copied Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno.

The Royal father also copied the Senate president, the Nigeria Police Force, Director General, Department of State Security Service, the Director General, Mallam Ahmed Rufai, National Intelligence Agency Presidential Wing - Gen Muhammed Monguno, The Chief Commissioner, Public Complaint Commission and the Director General, National Commission For Museums and Monuments (NCMM).

He said, “I write, on behalf of Pataskum Emirate Council and the entire people of Pataskum Emirate to request for your kind intervention to protect our cultural rights in the matter of the release of Potiskum Old Prison premises by the Federal Ministry of Interior to the Fika Emirate Council as conveyed vide letter Ref .No FM/PSO/020/T/345 of 2nd October, 2015.

“This was done without giving us fair hearing as the most important stakeholder in the matter and in violation of our cultural rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and the provisions of Articles 1, 3, 5 and 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (See Annex 1) which our dear country has ratified and signed”.

“It would appear that Fika Emirate Council has based its request for “return” of the facility on similar happenings to old prisons in Maiduguri and Wukari and the location of the old facility in its territory, not minding historical and cultural considerations involved.

Established as a modern prison in 1912, Old prison premises is located in Potiskum, Yobe State and following the building of a medium security prison in the town, the inmates were transferred to the new facility while the old building still remains unused.

The Emir said it was in that respect that Fika Council wrote a letter to the Federal Ministry of Interior dated 10th June, 2015 requesting for return of the land and building of the old prison to it, which the Ministry obliged in the letter quoted in the first paragraph above.

The Mai mentioned that; “as things stand today, Potiskum town is divided into almost two equal halves - Pataskum Emirate occupying the eastern half and Fika Emirate occupying the western half in which the prison facility and the other two Ngizim monuments listed above are located; this is not by ruling per se. Fika still uses Potiskum as a headquarters imposed by repression during the colonial regime; a classic bicultural interplay of the colonists to use alien communities into another to achieve their aims. The settlement of Fika headquarter in Potiskum was however reversed, thereby Fika council location within Potiskum is temporary. 

Fika Emirate, representing the last vestige of colonial domination is fighting tooth and nail not to be asked to relocate to their ancestral land in Fika town, a separate region about 57 km out of Potiskum. In the present circumstance in which intentional destruction of cultural property is an instrument of warfare, the motive of Fika Emirate Council may well be to take over the historical site, embark on its intentional destruction so that our cultural identity and remaining historical traces in Potiskum town are erased which is tantamount to destroying our soul.”

The Emir further called on The National Commission For Museums and Monuments to consider Pataskum Emirate Council in the event of any decision to dispose of the Potiskum old prison facility because of historical and cultural reasons. Given that the old prison site is the location of the walled town which became the nucleus of modern day Potiskum and which our forefathers struggled hard to consolidate.

“As evidence of this assertion, three of our monuments are still there and were being used as the need arose even when the old prison was still in use. The old prison site was compulsorily acquired by the colonial masters as highlighted above in 1912. The position under the land use Act which is saved in the 1999 Constitution as amended is that where a land is compulsorily acquired for a public purpose and the purpose is no longer there as in this case the land should revert back to its previous owners. Therefore the previous are the people of Pataskum Emirate.”

Fika which is claiming the facility has no stake historically, culturally and goes towards any legal terms of indigenous rights and cultural beholdings. Fika Emirate is a separate local government district while Potiskum Emirate runs Potiskum local government and its district regions.

The Royal father stated: “Its claims therefore, cannot go beyond pecuniary considerations and the need to have the advantage of erasing historical and other evidence not in its favour in its bid to build a case for its continued stay in Potiskum”.

The value of cultural preservation is tantamount to any country's pride. The Ngizim Maidoms established areas around Pataskum since as a trade centre for their surrounding villages.

Oral tradition has it that the history of Pataskum Kingdom started with Mai Bauya, the founder of the current town Potiskum, Yobe State, Nigeria. Mai Bauya who is also known as Yerima Mamadi hailed from Mugni/Kariyari in Bursari District of present Yobe State. He was Ngizim and a Prince who left Mugni/Kariyari in the company of his two brothers.

They founded Dapchi and Jimbam around the 16th century. Dapchi situated 5 kilometres west of Jumbam served as Western Military Garrison for Borno under Idriss Alooma in the 16th century.

Mai Bauya proceeded and founded the town of Aisa Yerimaram which he named after himself. The town of Pataskum was founded much later around 1690 - Pataskum arises from Pata (bush) Skum (three pointed pole) that covered the area in dense quantity. Around 1800 the town was set up as a central market for the expanding communities towards Gashua.

“We have clear cases of intentional destruction of cultural property around the world to serve as examples e.g Iraq, Afghanistan, Mali - in similar cases where old prisons were handed over to Emirate Councils like Borno and Wukari, the circumstances are not exactly the same as this. No concerned party came to put up a superior claim like we have done and so it was not difficult to make a decision. Our right to a fair hearing and the right to take part in cultural life and to access and enjoy cultural heritage has been seriously undermined and breached".

The Royal father also noted that the submission to the Commission highlights the objection of Pataskum Emirate Council and people of the Emirate to the handing over of the old Potiskum prison facility to Fika local government which has no stake whatsoever, adding that decision violates our rights to ownership and access to our relics and monuments and runs contrary to the constitution and other international covenants of which Nigeria has ratified and signed.

“As the body established to deal with all matters relating to the promotion and protection of human rights as well as their alleged violation, we look up to the Nigerian Human Rights Commission to ensure justice and fairness by ensuring that our rights to our historical monuments are restored and protected” he stressed.

We cannot measure a community by the number of transactions we gain from the community. A community is not a label. In practice, a community is something that is nurtured and we have to co-create to build a safe striving society, this is why Potiskum is important in that it is not only the wealthy who enjoy our community.

Governments may think that community is something that alights in a quick fashion and we see politicians making decisions without recognising the efforts that building a community can take.

This is an important matter of a people’s heritage, an African History. The national reconciliation committee needs also be involved if its aims are to reconcile peace in regions. The peaceful state of Potiskum that continues to attract good markets and diverse population holds credit to the indigenous communities. Many people are however feeling the surmounting pressures of prolonged emancipation directly linked to the circumstances of colonialism which the Nigerian Government has been slow to recognise.

The previous hearing at the Nigerian Human Rights Commission in Abuja was Thursday 4th November 2020, adjourned to December 2020.