The Kebbi State government has suspended Ministry of Lands and Housing staff implicated in land grabbing and illicit sales.
The state Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Alhaji Muhammad Dangi-Juli, announced that all those involved have been suspended indefinitely to allow for a proper investigation into the matter.
The commissioner made this disclosure while speaking with journalists in his office on Thursday in Birnin Kebbi, following complaints about land racketeering at Aliero Quarters in Birnin Kebbi.
He said: “It came to our notice that some individuals are involved in land racketeering on certified government land, lands that have been duly certified by the government.
“It is very unfortunate that these individuals have gone as far as issuing fake letters of grant to their customers.
“We will not tolerate any actions that tarnish the image of this administration. We are prepared to take all necessary measures to protect the image of this government.”
The commissioner firmly stated: “Any staff member of the ministry involved in this land racketeering should immediately be issued with a query and suspended indefinitely to allow for a proper investigation.”
Dangi-Juli lamented that land-related misconduct was rampant within the ministry, particularly affecting orphans, the elderly, and the less privileged. He emphasised the need for stricter measures to curb this issue.
The Permanent Secretary of Lands and Housing, TPL Abubakar Ahmad-Muhammad, added: “We are here to inform you about those involved in the illegal subdivision of land, illegal land sales, and the illegal production and printing of letters of grant, contrary to the law.
“We are parading these suspects publicly so that people can avoid them, as they are dealing with land issues without legal approval from the relevant authorities.”
The Permanent Secretary confirmed that two suspects, identified as members of a syndicate, had been apprehended and would be arraigned in court to face the full force of the law as a deterrent to others.
He assured that the ministry was actively pursuing other members of the syndicate who are currently at large to bring them to justice.
Ahmad-Muhammad explained that the land grabbers were arrested for illegal land grabbing and sales at Aleiro Quarters, where plots of land are valued between N30 million and N40 million.
Speaking to the suspects, who did not deny the allegations against them, they revealed that the deal was facilitated by some ministry staff members.
Nasiru Ibrahim, the principal suspect, admitted to being involved in the land business for over a year and confirmed that some workers from the Ministry of Lands and Housing were involved.
He disclosed that the fake letters of grant were signed by a ministry staff member named Augie.
Nafi’u Mohammed, the buyer of the land, stated that he was not involved in subdividing the land but was simply called to purchase the property. He maintained that he was convinced to buy the land from Nasiru Ibrahim, who claimed the land belonged to his father, at a cost of N10 million. “Therefore, I am not a land grabber,” he said.
