Govt seizes Emir of Kano’s land…Sambo, Atiku, Ringim, others affected

By AbdulSalam Muhammad, Kano

The new administration  of Governor Rabiu  Musa Kwankwaso in Kano State has seized landed property allocated to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, and other eminent Nigerians  by the immediate past regime of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau in the state.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that the controversial plots, located along Bayero University, Kano (BUK) Road, had  initially generated controversy in the ancient city between the Shekarau-led government and Kwankwaso’s  supporters following the intention of the former  governor to allocate  it to some individuals at the twilight of his administration.
Kwankwaso had repeatedly made open his displeasure to build up the area and vowed to recover the strategic expanse of land when he assumed power.

In line with that  vow, Kwankwaso reportedly oversaw  the  late night operation by Kano Urban Development Agency that flattened multi-million naira structures erected by individuals on the controversial Kofar Na’isa open field last week.

The demolition that commenced by 2.00 a.m. was sequel to the revocation of the controversial plots by the Kwankwaso administration  following the allotment of same  by the last administration allegedly to powerful individuals within and outside the state.

The list of beneficiaries obtained by Sunday Vanguard  includes, Kwankwaso’s father, Alhaji Musa Kwankwaso; a former  army chief, AbdulRahaman Dambazua;  and top security goons serving in the state.

Other top Nigerians on the long list  are Vice President Namadi Sambo; former Vice President   Atiku Abubakar and inspector  general of police Hafiz Ringim.

Also on the list are Sokoto State governor,  Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, his Jigawa State counterpart, Alhaji Sule Lamido and  Alhaji Aminu Dantata.

Sunday Vanguard further learnt that over 1,000 plots were allocated to top Nigerians at the Kofar Na’isa area bordering the congested  old city believed to host half of Kano’s over 10 million people.

Kwankwaso action was said to have damaged the relationship between  the monarch and the  new administration as Bayero  considered  the landed property’s revocation order as not only an ‘affront, but sacrilegious’ .

The emir, who has refused to speak on the property seizure, declared, on Friday, that Shekarau had set an enviable record of achievements that no one could match in  Kano State.

A press statement  by the former Senior Special Assistant Media to the erstwhile governor, Sule Yau Sule, quoted the emir as saying, when Shekarau paid a courtesy call on  him,  that ‘’Malam Shekarau has done so much towards the upliftment of Islam and the social life of Kano people’’.

The emir, in the statement, explained that ‘’this landmark achievement by the Sardauna was what prompted the Kano Emirate to appoint him as a member of the Kano Emirate so that he could as well contribute in decisions of the Emirate Council for the betterment of the people of the state.’’

In  defense of Kwankwaso’s action that has already attracted litigation, the Media Assistant to the Governor, Jafar  Jaafar, stated that the revocation was done ‘’in the best interest of the public.’’

The  media aide  pointed out  that ‘’the place in contention is not residential, and all the structures right from the Kano Fire Service up to the Aminu Kano School for Legal Studies a distance of 5.5km are public places’’.