Land dispute: ABU counter KASUPDA, denies selling land

From: Femi  Oyelola, Kaduna

The Management of the Ahmadu Bello University has denied in strong terms a statement credited to the Director- General  Kaduna state Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA), Isma’il Umaru-Dikko that the institution sold its land to the Public.  

The University  has accused the Kaduna State Government and its agencies  of taking land belonging to the Institution College of Agriculture and Animal Science at Mando, Kaduna, even after a court injunction against it.

Meanwhile, in a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs Directorate, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Auwalu Umar, and available to the media reads in part:

“The attention of Ahmadu Bello University has been drawn to a statement credited to the Director-General of Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA), Isma’il Umaru-Dikko, in which he accused the institution of selling “about 80 hectares” of land belonging to its College of Agriculture and Animal Science at Mando in Kaduna metropolis to individuals.

“This is to categorically state that the allegation is totally false and unfounded.

To simply put the record straight, Ahmadu Bello University has never sold its land to anybody, be it individual or corporate organization; and it will NEVER do so.

“The College has the Ownership Certificate (G.ITEM-No.1060) of the entire land on which it was established, in addition to the Survey Site Plan that shows the entire College boundaries.

The University authorities fenced the entire College many years ago in order to prevent land grabbers from encroaching on its own land.

“However, recently, KASUPDA, purportedly acting on the directives of the Kaduna State Government, illegally trespassed, and recklessly and irresponsibly demolished the perimeter fence that demarcates its boundaries despite the subsisting court order stopping the government agency for such illegal action.

“The Director-General of Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA), Isma’il Umaru-Dikko, indeed shamelessly lied by accusing the institution of selling its own land to individuals. He failed the simple test of carrying out a proper investigation to avoid embarrassing himself and the State Government, perhaps because of his inordinate greed and ambition of making the spurious allegation that he made.”