Justice shall prevail, says Saraki as groups protest demolition
Posted by FN Editor | 4 years ago | 1,332 times
Groups in Ilorin on Thursday protested the demolition of buildings on the land reclaimed from the Saraki family by the Kwara State government.
Dr. Bukola Saraki in a statement said “justice shall soon prevail in the illegal demolition” of his father’s house.
He said: “Following the development this (yesterday) morning in Ile Arugbo, I want to commend the women and men, old and young, who displayed their affection, love and staunch support for my late father and the family.
“I appreciate the genuine support of the women and youths who stood firmly in the face of aggression and naked show of force.
“Your action throughout the night gave full expression to my belief that what Ile Arugbo represents to all of us is etched in our hearts. It goes beyond the physical structure. I am happy that you were not intimidated as you stood your ground.
“This day will go down as the day you reciprocated the love and affection my father and family have for you. You have displayed a gesture of goodwill and passionate love. We assure you that justice shall prevail in a not too distant future.”
The Saraki Legacy Forum (SLF) denounced the demolition, expressing surprise that the same state government which on Monday “circulated a letter of allocation to Asa Investments in which the company was directed to pay N1,04m” still went ahead to carry out the exercise.
The forum said: “It will be recalled that while the Governor on December 27 claimed that there was no existing document showing that the land was properly allocated to the late Dr. Saraki. The same government through its agent on Monday circulated a letter of allocation to Asa Investments owned by Dr. Saraki in which the company was directed to pay the sum of N1,047,090.
“The government then changed its story that the property was allocated to a company which had nothing to do with any politician, dead or alive and that they could not find any record of money paid.
“The Saraki family has maintained that a Right of Occupancy title was issued to Asa Investment, an indication that the allocation was lawfully concluded with all parties meeting their obligations.”
Disclosing that the government had made four previous attempts to pull down the structures, the SLF alleged that yesterday’s action was a “pre-emptive move by the state government to undermine and frustrate the judicial process.”
It said in a statement by its Chairman, Bibire Ajape, that the Saraki family had, following an announcement by the governor that he had revoked the title on the land, filed a case marked KWS/463/2019 at the High Court, Ilorin, on December 31, 2019, challenging the action.
The SLF said it was regrettable that the governor personally directed “one of his aides to lead a demolition team to the property on Tuesday morning accompanied by some policemen”who fired gunshots and tear gas canisters to scare away women and youths who had been keeping vigil on the land since New Year eve.”
The SLF added: Agents of Governor Abdulrazaq led by one of his aides in the early hours of this(yesterday) morning demolished the structures on Plots 1, 3 and 5, otherwise known as Ile-Arugbo (Old People’s Home) which belong to Late Dr. Olusola Saraki, after heavy firing of gunshots and tear gas canisters.
“The overnight demolition squad eventually set to work after four failed attempts which were resisted by old women and youths who have always gathered at the Ile Arugbo to benefit from the social welfare Programme initiated by the late politician about 20 years ago.
“The old women had resisted previous attempts to carry out the illegal demolition exercise between the morning of December 31, 2019 and very early hours of January 2, 2020.
“In an obviously desperate attempt to pre-empt the court case, the governor directed one of his aides to lead a demolition team to the property on Tuesday morning accompanied by some policemen.”
Also, the President of Agbaji Development Association in Ilorin, described as “unfair”, the demolition of the property.
“It is not fair to try to rubbish the late Saraki’s contributions to the socio-economic development of the llorin emirate.
“The demolition of the structure is not right since the matter is before the court,” the group said through its President and spokesman for the Saraki kinsmen at home and abroad, Yusuf Olanrewaju.
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