By Joseph Edegbo
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has denied selling 80 hectares of land belonging to the Department of Agricultural and Animal Science (DAAS), Mando, to private individuals, while accusing the Kaduna State government of propagating falsehood.
In a statement, Thursday, ABU Director of Public Affairs, Auwalu Umar, noted: “The attention of ABU has been drawn to a statement credited to the Director-General of Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA), Isma’il Umaru-Dikko, in which he accused the institution of selling about 80 hectares of land belonging to its College of Agriculture and Animal Science at Mando, in Kaduna metropolis, to individuals.
“This is to categorically state that the allegation is totally false and unfounded. To simply put the record straight, ABU has never sold its land to anybody, be it individual or corporate organisation; and it will never do so.”
According to him, the college has the Ownership Certificate (G.ITEM-No.1060) of the entire land on which it was established, in addition to the Survey Site Plan that shows the entire college boundaries.
He added: “The university authorities fenced the entire college many years ago to prevent land grabbers from encroaching on it. However, recently, KASUPDA, purportedly acting on the directives of the Kaduna government, illegally trespassed, and recklessly and irresponsibly demolished the perimeter fence that demarcates its boundaries, despite the subsisting court order stopping the government agency from such illegal action.
“The KASUPDA DG was economical with the truth when he acused the institution of selling its own land to individuals. He failed the simple test of carrying out a proper investigation to avoid embarrassing himself and the state government.”
Umar described the accusation as a desperate face-saving measure by Umaru-Dikko, having come to terms with the consequences of his action and the crime he committed against the university.
“For the avoidance of doubt, KASUPDA should know that no amount of blackmail will make ABU to allow its own land to be illegally grabbed for allocation to associates and other unpatriotic individuals,”the statement concludes