Kwara Govt takes over land used by Saraki family in Ilorin

Dr Bukola Saraki

The Kwara State Government has taken over a piece
of land being used by the Saraki Family in Ilorin.
A release by the Chief Press Secretary to Kwara
Governor, Rafiu Ajakaiye said on Friday that a new
secretariat would be built on the land.
Ajakaiye said the land was originally meant for
Government Secretariat and parking space of the Civil
Service Clinic, but was unlawfully allocated to a
private firm, Asa Investments Limited, without any
record of payment to the state government.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that part
of the land, situated beside the Civil Service Clinic, is
also right in front of late Dr Olusola Saraki’s
residence.
NAN also reports that the late Saraki built a house
and named it ‘Ile Arugbo’ (elderly peoples’ home).
According to the statement, no certificate of
occupancy was issued in favour of the firm.
The statement explained that the government has
now made provisions for the secretariat in the 2020
budget, although its construction will spill over to
2021.
“Hundreds of civil servants still operate from rented
apartments at a huge cost to the government.
“The new secretariat, once completed in 2021, will
definitely go a long way to end this unhealthy trend
as well as provide a more conducive and decent
working environment for government workers,” the
statement added.
Ajakaiye added that Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq
has signed a constitutional instrument withdrawing
the allocation of plots of land 1, 3 and 5 to the firm.
He said that the said land used by Saraki family was
unlawfully appropriated contrary to the purpose for
which it was meant.
The spokesman added that the governor’s decision
followed a resolution of the State House of Assembly
urging him to reclaim the land because it was
arbitrarily taken over in the 1990s without any
evidence of payment by the company, even though
the land was meant for public use.
The governor noted in the revocation order that the
land was originally meant for the construction of
another phase of the Kwara State Civil Service
Secretariat and a parking space for both the civil
service clinic and the secretariat.
The revocation order according to NAN read: “In
exercise of the powers conferred by Section 5 of the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as
amended) 1999 and Section 1 and 28 of the Land
Use Act Cap. L.5 of 2004 and all other powers
enabling me in that behalf, I, Mallam AbdulRahman
AbdulRazaq, Governor of Kwara State of Nigeria, give
the following notice:
“The Notice may be cited as the Land Use
(Revocation of Right of Occupancy and withdrawal of
allocation) Notice, 2019.
“Allocation of plots of land 1, 3 and 5 TPS/MISC 129
to Asa Investment (Nig) Ltd. which is meant for the
Kwara State Secretariat.
“The land, specifically and more described in survey
No. KwSH 927 and Land/G1071 situated and lying
beside Civil Service Clinic on Ilofa Road Ilorin, Kwara
State, is hereby revoked and withdrawn for overriding
public interest for use of the purpose it is originally
meant for:
“The construction of Kwara State Secretariat; parking
space for civil service clinic and the Kwara State
Secretariat and annex to the Civil Service when
upgraded to a hospital.
“That the plots allocated are hereby declared void.
Notice is therefore given to you, Asa Investments
Nigeria Limited, that the plots of land 1, 3 and 5 TPS/
MISC 129 allocated to you and any title on the land
whatsoever are hereby revoked and the allocation is
withdrawn for overriding public interest,” it read in
part.