As the land disputes between Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria and the El-Rufai led Kaduna state government hots up, Kaduna State Urban Development Authority (KASUPDA), on Wednesday we’re chased away from the disputed land by the institution staffs and its security personnel.
Eyewitness said ABU delegation led by Dr Bashir Kurfi arrived the disputed land located at College of Agriculture and Animal Science (Mando) Kaduna around 1:30 pm and met KASUPDA Boss Samila Dikko and his men operating on the land.
Sources said, after few minutes of altercation, the ABU and its security personnel forcefully succeeded in chasing KASUPDA personnel away from the land and buldozers stationed on it to the land border.
The Beacon placed on the land by Kaduna state government agency was also broken by the ABU security who later pasted the subsisting Interim Court Order restraining the Governor, his Attorney General, their servants, agents and privies from further encroachment on the land.
The source also revealed that during the altercation, the KASUPDA Boss allegedly accused lewder of the institution of being responsible for the sale of the land to individuals, a development ABU described as a fallacy, as the university disclaimed ceding any part of the land to any person(s) or groups as claimed.
Findings however revealed that it was the land belonging to the ministry of agriculture that was sold to people, and not that of ABU. Recalled that “The ASUU, ABU Zaria branch recently protested an attempts by the Kaduna State Government to take over part of its land during a press conference in Kaduna, describing the action asan insult to the founder of the university, late Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello.
“Sadly, we are here once again to update you on the encroachment on Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) lands covering 196.258 hectares situated at College of Agriculture and Animal Science (Mando) by Kaduna State Government under the leadership of Governor Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai. “His desperate attempt to take over the land is an affront and insult to Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna’s indelible legacies public education.
“This is quite despicable when one considers what the Governor did to citizens of Kaduna State who built houses around Huduhuda College and Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria,”
According to the speech titled, “A Call On Governor Nasiru Ahmed El-rufai To Respect the Rule Of Law”, ASUU said that the government is playing double standards. “This action is a clear double standard and a mind-set out to destroy without basis,” the group added.
ABU recalled that on January 13, 2022 their union issued a release where they cautioned the Governor of Kaduna State to “desist this callousness and unlawful takeover of the property belonging to ABU Zaria. “However, instead of abiding by the caution, he went the destroy the wall of the college and several trees (it is instructive that the trees destroyed are more than fifty years old) using bulldozers of Kaduna State Urban Development Authority (KASUPDA) under the watch of over one hundred well-armed security personnel, despite subsisting Interim Court Order restraining the Governor and with Attorney General, their servants, agents and privies from further by the Court.
“The Court order was granted on the 18th of January 2022 by Justice K. Dabo of the Federal High Court, Zaria,” they informed. The group said that in the face of the restraining injunction granted against the Governor of Kaduna State and his agents, Malam Nasir el-Rufai and his Attorney General in utter disregard to this order, directed KASUPDA to trespass and further cause devastation on the land.
“The Solicitors of University thereafter issued a letter to the Directors General KASUPDA and Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS) 14th February 2022 where the Governor and his agents were warned to desist from further trespass and destruction of the land or else proceed with contempt proceedings against him and his ruthless “In addition, the action of the Kaduna State Government under leadership of Governor el-Rufa’i is at best sadistic and is in clear with Section 49 (1) and (2) of the Land Use ACT, Cap L5 LFN, 200 exempts Federal Government lands from management and State Governors.
“We urge the general public to look at this act in order to fathom the extent of lawlessness perpetuated by the Governor,” they stressed. Based on the foregoing, ASUU called on the authorities of Ahmadu Bello University to institute an action on the Government of Kaduna State and for compensation on the destruction of the wall of the college, felling of trees, distortion of flora and fauna and the entire environment.
“The Senate of Ahmadu Bello University to formally withdraw the degree certificates awarded Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai as his many actions are in contravention of the requirements in character and learning deemed worthy of Ahmadu Bello University degree award,” they demanded. Other members of ABU led by Dr. Bashir Kurfi who stormed the college include ASUU chairman Haruna Mohammed Jibril, 3 ABU chief security officers Mallam Ashiru T. Zango; Director division of agriculture and animal sciences Prof. Musa Abdullahi Mahadi; the provost College of agriculture and animal sciences Dr Haruna Hamid and the fmr chairman ASUU ABU Prof. Rabiu Nasiru, respectfully.