Kaduna Govt Slams ABU For Asserting Falsehoods About Selling Campus Land

Ahmadu Bello University’s College of Agriculture and Animal Science, Mando, Kaduna has alleged that the state government has forcefully taken over its land.

The college’s Provost, Dr. Hassan Hamidu, stated at a media briefing in Kaduna on Tuesday.

According to the provost, the action of the state government has exposed the school to a security threats.

Hamidu said there was a court order dated January 18, 2022 restraining the government and its agencies from encroaching the college’s land, noting that in spite of that, the agencies had moved in to demolish the school fence and started clearing its land.

Displaying the court order before journalists, he said the state government and its agencies should restrain from trespassing, entering and or carrying out any action on the said land.

According to the order signed by the Registrar of the Kaduna State High Court, Zaria Division, Jafaru Ibrahim, the order shall subsist pending the determination of the motion on notice already filed along with the writs of summons and statement of claim.

The order read, “An interim order is granted in favour of the plaintiff/ applicant against the defendants, restraining defendants, their servants, agents and privies from further entering, further trespassing and/or purportedly excising the plaintiff’s land covering 196.258 hectares situate at College of Agriculture and Animal Science (Mando), Ahmadu Bello University, specifically described by a survey sketch plan and satellite imagery.”

Hamidu added that the demolition of the fence by the state government agencies had exposed the college, staff members and students to the security threats, considering the ravaging kidnapping and banditry in the area.

He described the action of the state government as a desperate act to take over the college’s land.

“In 2012, a committee headed by the then Comptroller Works and Housing was set up to demarcate the land between the College of Agriculture and Federal Ministry of Agriculture, while submitting its reports in 2014, the committee advised the Mando College to fence its own entire boundary to prevent further encroachment, which was duly carried out and has been serving as a grazing area for the college’s livestock,” he added.

However, when contacted, Director General of KADGIS, Mrs Altine Jibrin, declined comments on the matter, saying it is still before the court.