I am Gabriel Nkup Tsenyen, a royal son of Ngotuguut Village, Dorok Chiefdom, Shendam Local Government Area.

I am a lawyer and currently the Head of the Tsenyen Family.

In 2023, members of my family informed me that our ancestral family land was being encroached upon by Pa William Memsem Memorial Foundation School, a school promoted by the family of Hon. Justice Monica Dongban Mensem of No. 15 Luu, Shaltuen.

Upon receiving this information, I immediately took steps to resolve the matter amicably by reaching out to the Hon. President of the Court of Appeal through phone calls, text messages, emails, and WhatsApp.    

Unfortunately, none of these attempts received any response.
I also contacted Arc. Alphonsus Hoomsuk Baba, a trustee of the school, hoping for an amicable resolution. Instead, he advised me to go to court.

Despite this, I travelled home to explore peaceful means of settling the dispute. However, Hon. Justice Mensem's younger brother, Niemuut Mensem, maintained the school's claim to the land and refused to back down.    

Consequently, on behalf of my family, I instituted Suit No. PLD/S9CV/2025: Gabriel Nkup Tsenyen v. Tanko Danjuma, Dan Azumi Danjuma, Niemuut Mensem, and Pa William Memsem Memorial Foundation School.

In a surprising turn of events, some village elders later claimed that they, and not the defendants I sued, had allocated the land to the school.

Subsequently, the Hon. President of the Court of Appeal facilitated the construction of a Federal Government road from Poeship to Ngotuguut.

Thereafter, I received credible information that some individuals in my village had declared that I would not be allowed to drive within the village or use the road because I had refused to surrender my family's land to the school.

On 14 May 2026, I lodged a complaint about these threats on the village WhatsApp platform. My complaint was immediately deleted, and I was subjected to insults and abusive comments, many from people far younger than me. I am 62 years old. Although the platform administrator promised twice to address the matter, nothing was done. The Hon. President of the Court of Appeal was a member of the platform but neither intervened nor invited me to discuss the issues.

On 18 May 2026, I received a call from the Plateau State DSS Commandant, Mr. Paul Damian, informing me that a petition had been forwarded from the DSS National Headquarters in Abuja for investigation. After I informed him that I resided in Abuja, he said he would revert to me.

On 19 May 2026, while I was in Ilorin, Kwara State, I received another call from the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, SAN, informing me that a petition had also been lodged against me with the DSS in Abuja.

Upon returning to Abuja on 23 May 2026, I met with the NBA President and explained the circumstances surrounding the land dispute. On 25 May 2026, I honoured the DSS invitation, where I was confronted with a petition allegedly written on behalf of the Hon. President of the Court of Appeal, accusing me of threatening her life and conspiring with criminal elements to destabilize the village.

I categorically denied these allegations in my statement and maintained that the land dispute should be resolved by the court, where the matter is already pending.

The Hon. President of the Court of Appeal is neither a traditional title holder in the village nor an administrator of the village WhatsApp platform. Yet, her involvement in these events raises serious questions. Ironically, I was among those who initially supported the establishment of the school. I participated in community meetings, helped secure land for the project, spoke at fundraising events in Lagos, mobilized support, and encouraged donations. Furthermore, one of the trustees of the Foundation is her son, whose address was listed as her official residence in Lagos during her tenure as Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division. It is therefore difficult to understand any denial of her connection to the school.

Today, rather than allowing the land dispute to be determined by the court, I find myself facing allegations far removed from the original complaint, allegations that appear calculated to destroy my reputation and intimidate me.

I ask: Should the world remain silent while a judicial officer, who is alleged to have become deeply involved in a private foundation at the centre of a land dispute, uses the machinery of state against a citizen seeking judicial determination of his family's land rights?

I believe in the rule of law and remain committed to pursuing justice through lawful means. I appeal to all who value justice, fairness, and the integrity of our institutions to allow the courts to determine this dispute without intimidation or persecution.