By Amos Tauna
Former Minister of Environment, Laurentai Mallam, Monday in Kaduna, northwest Nigeria, absolved governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State in the contentious destruction of her property in Kaduna last Friday.
The destruction of the property almost caused civil unrest in Sabon Tasha area of Kaduna city. The property is located on Post Office Road, Sabon Tasha, Kaduna.
Instead, the Minister praised the Governor for revoking the Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) from one Ravinia Industrial Supplies Limited and rightfully allocating it to her.
A statement issued by the former Minister in Kaduna and made available to newsmen, blamed the company of carrying out the destruction, saying she had written a petition to the governor over the matter.
The Minister also said that the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, was not after her ,as she was not involved in any financial scam.
Part of the statement reads, “It is no longer news that there was tension in Kaduna on Friday, 12/05/2017. This was as a result of a thoughtless and deliberate attack resulting in some physical damage of Green Apples Guest House located at Post Office Road, Sabon Tasha, Kaduna.
“The attack was organized and led by one Barr. Biola Oyebanji who led a detachment of Nigeria Policemen and five (5) bus loads of thugs said to have been recruited from Tudun Wada and Rigasa to execute his evil plan.
“The organized attack/destruction of the Green Apples Guest House by Barr. Biola Oyebanji is on the pretext of executing a court judgment ceding the plot, on which the Guest House is built, to his client , Ravinia Industrial Supplies Limited.
“The Green Apples Guest House belongs to my family and is covered by a genuine Certificate of Occupancy issued by the Kaduna State Government.
“As a result of these organized attacks, the media, especially the Social Media, has been abashed with stories that the EFCC is after me as a former Minister of Environment for financial crimes.
“Worst of all, this last attack of Friday 12/05/2017 is being linked to His Excellency, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, who is said to have authorized the attack and destruction.
“I wish to state very clearly here that His Excellency, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai , and the EFCC have nothing to do with what happened . Rather, His Excellency has since revoked the Certificate of Occupancy purportedly belonging to Biola Oyebanji’s client, Ravinia Industrial Supplies Limited, after satisfactorily establishing that it was fraudulently acquired.
“We are presently waiting for the quick action of the appropriate Government Ministry and Agencies to execute the revocation of the purported Certificate of Occupancy of Ravinia Industrial Supplies Limited by His Excellency, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to enable this matter to be finally put to rest.
“The timing and manner of the attack on Green Apples Guest House last Friday 12/05/2017 amounted to a deliberate sabotage of the efforts of His Excellency to promote peace in Kaduna State.
“Can one imagine the security implication of bringing a bus load of hoodlums and thugs from Tudun Wada and Rigasa to cause damage in Sabon Tasha/Narayi axis of Kaduna City? We need peacemakers not saboteurs in Kaduna State Nigeria in this volatile time.
“I wish to personally thank the youths of Sabon Tasha and Narayi for listening to me and other people of goodwill by seeing reason and controlling their tempers and emotions. As a result of which the situation did not get out of hand thereby resulting to violent riots.
“Despite this, the atmosphere in Kaduna City was already fully charged and the people had already started running helter-skelter. It was only the Almighty God who averted the bloodshed in Kaduna on that day.
“Meanwhile, I have instructed my Lawyers to write a detailed petition to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State to use his good office to investigate this matter and bring all the culprits to account for these criminal and illegal actions.”
