Kebbi, Malami trade blame over demolition

File: Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami

The Kebbi State Government and the African Democratic Congress governorship candidate, Abubakar Malami (SAN), have traded accusations over the demolition of a property along Sani Abacha Bypass in Birnin Kebbi, with both sides offering conflicting accounts of the incident.

While the state government described the demolition as the outcome of a private land ownership dispute, Malami accused political opponents of destroying his property in an attempt to provoke him and his supporters.

The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Yakubu Ahmed-BK, stated the government’s position on Monday while addressing journalists on the controversy.

Ahmed-BK insisted that the administration of Governor Nasir Idris neither authorised nor participated in the demolition, maintaining that it was strictly a private matter.

“The state government had neither authorised nor participated in the exercise, which arose from a private land ownership dispute between individuals,” he said.

He accused the ADC of attempting to politicise the incident to portray the state government as hostile to opposition parties.

According to him, the government was concerned that a private dispute was being presented as an act of political persecution without credible evidence linking the administration to the demolition.

“The fact that a building was demolished does not automatically mean the state government was responsible. There are established procedures for resolving disputes over property ownership, and such matters should not be turned into political accusations,” he said.

The commissioner explained that the demolition attracted public attention after residents woke up to find earth-moving equipment pulling down the building, prompting passers-by to record and circulate videos of the exercise on social media.

He alleged that ADC supporters subsequently blamed the state government without establishing the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Ahmed-BK said preliminary investigations and documents presented by a businessman, Umaru Gulumbe, indicated that the disagreement centred on ownership of the property.

He disclosed that Gulumbe presented a Certificate of Occupancy bearing the signature of former Governor Adamu Aliero, alongside records of complaints lodged with the police and the Ministry of Lands and Housing.

“The individual who came forward presented documents which, according to him, established his ownership of the property. He also provided records of complaints he had earlier lodged with relevant authorities,” the commissioner said.

He added that relevant committees had examined the competing ownership claims, while Gulumbe maintained that the property belonged to him.

The commissioner challenged anyone disputing the businessman’s ownership to approach a competent court rather than resorting to public accusations.

“Anyone who has a contrary claim to the ownership of that property should go to court and establish his claim. The government cannot be dragged into a private dispute simply because some people want to give it a political colouration,” he said.

He also accused some of Malami’s aides of making inflammatory statements and launching personal attacks against Idris over the incident.

Malami has, however, petitioned the Kebbi State Commissioner of Police over the demolition.

The property, located at a commercial layout along Sani Abacha Road, reportedly housed the Malami Pressure Group, a political support organisation.

In a statement, the ADC Director of Strategic Media, Research and Policy Analysis, Abubakar Abdullahi, said Malami was shocked by what he described as an act of lawlessness.

He alleged that the demolition was carried out by political opponents to provoke Malami and his supporters into taking actions capable of threatening peace in the state.

According to the statement, Malami viewed the incident as an attempt to intimidate the opposition and create tension ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The statement quoted the party as saying that the demolition was particularly disturbing because of its potential implications for political activities and freedom of association.

It said Malami had directed his lawyers to seek legal redress, establish ownership of the property and demand compensation for the destruction.

“Malami is shocked by this brazen act of lawlessness. The intention, apparently, is to provoke him and his supporters into taking actions that could threaten the peace and stability of Kebbi State,” the statement said.

The ADC urged its members and supporters not to take the law into their hands, assuring them that the party would pursue justice through appropriate legal channels.