Kwara Assets panel told how lands meant for courtrooms were sold

Date: 2020-11-19

· First allocation done in 2009

Several plots of land allocated in the 1980s for the construction of courtrooms in Ilorin were arbitrarily sold out by the administrations of former Governors Bukola Saraki and Abdulfatah Ahmed without following the due process, the judicial panel on assets recovery heard on Wednesday.

Director General of the Bureau of Land Barrister Bolaji Edun told the panel that the lands in Tanke area of Ilorin had been allocated to the judiciary as part of the planning for the state but were gradually auctioned out from 2009 without the government first revoking the allocation of same in line with the law.

Edun was answering questions regarding a petition filed to the panel by the state judiciary which seeks restoration of the land amid shortage of courtrooms in the state capital. The judiciary also complained of unlawful encroachment on the leftover of the land by at least two occupants: Candidate Hotel and the Nigeria Society of Engineering Secretariat.

Edun said the earliest state allocations on the land were made in 2009 and the issuance of C of O started in 2013 while the Bureau of Lands could not find the C of O of Candidate Hotel in its record.

"The extension and encroachment seen at the Hotel were not part of the C of O granted. In fact there is no record of its title in our files," he said.

Edun clarified that the entire land from Rhema Chapel around Tanke Tipper Garage to Prince Gambari building in Tanke Iledu was allocated to the state judiciary in 1980.

Also testifying, the Acting Surveyor-General of Kwara State Ibrahim Muhammad admitted that the entire land belongs to the judiciary, saying he could not find any file in respect of revocation of the land from the judiciary.

On Wednesday, members of the Kwara State Judicial Commission of Inquiry on the sales of Government assets inspected the land where Candidate Hotel and Nigeria Society of Engineering Secretariat are built in Tanke.

Chairman of the panel Justice Olabanji Orilonishe had earlier adjourned the ongoing public hearing for the inspection following inconsistencies in the testimony of the chairman of Candidate Hotel Raphael Adunmo before the panel.

During the visit, the panel found out massive encroachment on the land, with existing judiciary structures for high courts converted to poultry and the hotel's makeshift bar.

The panel observed that the Candidate Hotel and Nigeria Society of Engineering Secretariat are built on the frontage of the proposed Kwara State High Court in Tanke.

Adunmo, a retired Chief Town Planning Officer in the state, had earlier denied building permanent structures beyond his approved land but later admitted encroachment when the hearing resumed after the visit.

"There was a publication in respect of the layout of the land and I applied. I was given allocation and I have papers for my allocation and C of O. I encroached on the land because it became problem for my hotel. It used to be criminal hideout," he admitted.

Adunmo said he took over the structure when it became a hideout for criminals after several reports to F Division Police Station and the then Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Dr Bayo Ishola, and others officials of the ministry without allocation.

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

KFA     Federal Allocation     Adesina Simon Sodiya     Abdulwahab Ololele     Abdulmumini AbdulRazaq     Bola Shagaya     Ibrahim Taiwo     Kubra Kazum     Shuaibu Yaman     Maimunat Oloriegbe     Galadiman Ngeri     Haliru Yahaya     Bisi Kristien     Abdulahi Abubakar Bata     Alaiye     Savannah Centre For Diplomacy, Democracy And Development     Mustapha AbdulGaniyu     Danhawa     Alabi Lawal     Christopher Ayeni     Falokun-Oja     Kwara State University Of Education     Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari     Afolayan     Umar Bayo Abdulwahab     Quareeb Islamic Association     Raliat Elelu-Habeeb     11th Galadima     Abubakar Olusola Saraki     Ahmed \'Lateef     Ahman Pategi     Kisira     Muhammad Fawaz Abubakar     Kwara State Branch Of The National Library     Rafiu Olasile     Congress For National Consensus     Kemi Adeosun     Egbejila     Joseph Offorjama     Kunle Okeowo     Old Oyo     Eghe Igbinehi     IPSAS     Bello Oyebanji     Adamu Atta     Share-Tsaragi     Wahab Egbewole     Ronke Adeyemi     Suleiman Yahya Alapansapa     Yusuf AbdulRasheed     Olukotun Of Ikotun     Marafan Shonga     REO CAKES     Abdulkadir Akanbi-Oke     Yaru     FERMA     Usman Alkali Baba     Damilola Yusuf     Jumoke F. Ajao     Akom Construction And Engineering Synergy Ltd     Lithium Deposit     Ahmad Olayiwola Kamaldeen     Wahab Isa     Aremu Odolaye     EndSARS     Yahaya Seriki     HICA     TIIDELab     Col. Ibrahim Taiwo     C2c@kwarastate.gov.ng     Adeniyi Ojo     Unicontinental Construction Company     NITDA     Abdulmumin Yinka Ajia     Maryam Nurudeen     Oluronke Adeyemi     Olaiya Lawal    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Ayo Adeyemi     Hausa     Sulyman Atolagbe Alege     Umar Saro     Idris Garuba     Peter Obi     Chief Imam Of Omu-Aran     Al-Adaby     David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     Oloriegbe     Matthew Babaoye     Hakeem Idris     Saka Keji     Femi Ogunsola     Sulyman Abdulkareem     Segun Ogunsola     Lanre Aremu     Bareke     Council Of The Wise     Ishola Moses Abiodun     Modibbo Kawu     Tosho Yaqub     Aliyu Kora Sabi     Ibrahim Sulu Gambari     Saadatu Modibbo-Kawu     Kuliyan Geri     Adolescent Girls Initiative For Learning And Empowerment     Nnazua     Suleiman Abubakar     Ibrahim Bio     Toun Okewale-Sonaiya     Ariyo     Sa\'adatu Modibbo-Kawu     Gbugbu     Saka Adeyemo     Ajia-Bako     11th Galadima     Makama     Shehu Alimi Foundation     Patience Jonathan     Alikinla     Baboko Primary School     Mustapha AbdulGaniyu     Oba Abu     Justina Oha     Moses Afolayan     Reuben Paraje     KWTV     IYA YUSUF     Babaita     Olatunji Ayeni     College Of Education     Monsurat Omotosho     Ashiru     Umar Ayinla Saro     Bashiru Makama     Pius Abioje     Mike Omotosho     Pategi     Yahaya Abdulkareem Babaita     Centre For Peace And Strategic Studies     Vasolar Consultoria     Lanre Olosunde     Taibat Ayinke Ahmed     Borgu     Suleiman Alege Kuranga     Rex Olawoye     Turaki     Ayoade Akinnibosun     AbdulRazaq Abubakar Jiddah     Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq     KwaraLearn     Afusat Nike Ibrahim     Paul Odama     Ella Supreme Tissue Paper     Garba Dogo     Kwara Politics