Senate Condemns Kaduna APC Building Demolition, El-Rufai Defends Action

The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday condemned the demolition of the secretariat of a faction of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State by the state government.

The upper chamber asked the state Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, to either provide a replacement for the secretariat or compensate Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna-North) who was said to own the building.

The Senate made the resolution following a point of order raised at the plenary on Tuesday by Senator Shehu Sani (Kaduna-Central), who described el-Rufai as “an affliction on the people of Kaduna State.”

However, the state has insisted that the demolition was not politically motivated

According to Mr. Ibrahim Husseini, the Director-General, the Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS), the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KAPSUDA) was currently undertaking operations across Kaduna metropolis in compliance with its mandate and is clearing illegal structures, tackling street hawking and restoring order across Kaduna.

“This morning a building on 11B Sambo Close was removed for flagrant violations of land use and non-payment of ground rent since 2010,” Husseini said in a statement on Tuesday.

“This illegal violation of use had begun to distress neighbours who were being forced to endure an influx of thugs and blockage of the road.”

He revealed that KADGIS had issued a revocation notice of statutory right of occupancy No. KD. 16712, that covers 11b Sambo Close in the Ungwan Rimi area adding that the appropriate notice of revocation was delivered at 28 Inuwa Wada Road, the registered address of the company that held the title to the property.

“The notice was also delivered to the building in question, and sent by post to the registered address of the previous title holder,” he continued.

“The land has now been allocated to KASUPDA for the purpose of developing and maintaining a public park that will provide a green area and a serene place for recreation in that residential neighbourhood.

“KADGIS wishes to remind all title owners to be fastidious in complying with the terms of their allocation. The purpose of allocation of land cannot be wilfully altered; neither can title holders lawfully neglect to pay their ground rents.

“The Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS), as the government agency charged with ultimate responsibility on land matters in Kaduna State, calls for the utmost cooperation by the public with all our agencies.

The building housing the secretariat of the faction of the ruling APC, which belongs to the faction loyal to the suspended senators representing Kaduna Central, Sen. Shehu Sani and that of Kaduna North zone, Sen. Suleiman Hunkuyi, was demolished on Tuesday.

The property, a one storey duplex, said to belong to Senator Hunkuyi, was converted to a State Party Secretariat last Thursday due to the inability of the group to reconcile with the State party organ.