Twenty-two local officials and executives in Blida are appearing in court this week to face charges of negligence and complicity regarding the illegal exploitation of state-owned agricultural land. An investigation initiated in late 2021 by the National Gendarmerie identified 519 violations committed between 2015 and 2024. Key issues uncovered include the unauthorized conversion of farmland, illegal construction, and abandonment of agricultural plots. The investigation highlighted a systemic failure in monitoring, noting that administrative warnings and demolition orders were largely ignored. The defendants are being prosecuted for abuse of office and failing to protect the fertile land of the Mitidja plain.