ASUU threatens to drag el-Rufa’i to court over ‘ABU’s land encroachment’

The Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, chapter has threatened to drag Mallam Nasir Ahmed el-Rufa’i-led and the Kaduna state Government over land encroachment belonging to the College of Agriculture and Animals Science Mando, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 

In a statement made available to journalists in Zaria, the branch chairman of the union, Professor Rabi’u Nasiru, accused the state government of trying to desperately take over the college’s land.

Professor Nasiru pointed out that, sometime in 2012, a committee headed by the controller, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Kaduna, was set up to demarcate boundary between the college and Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

He said the committee completed its work in 2014 and advised the college to fence its entire boundary; in order to prevent further encroachment, which was duly carried out.

The further stated that the fenced area has served as grazing area for the college’s livestock.

He said: “Despite the fence put to protect the land grabbers and marauders, adding that some attempt were made to dispossess the land from the college under different guises, including approach to the university authorities by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to acquire part of the land.

 “The management denied the claim by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture that a portion of the fenced area was part of its land for seven years after demarcating the boundary between them and attempt by KADGIS to surreptitiously carry out a survey and demarcate plots of land with the fenced area, which they resisted.

“When a call was put to an officer working with KADGIS about the matter, he disclosed that it was the Governor that instructed KADGIS to carry out the survey and demarcate the plots for sale as he used to do, without regards to laid down rules and regulations. 

“Since they could not have access to the premises of the college, what KADGIS did to obey the emperor was to carry out an aerial survey and allocation of plots, which I can best describe as shameful and laughable.”

He added: “Based on the foregoing, one can view this as a behaviour of prodigal son to his father when one can consider the fact that the Governor is an alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. It is very sad that it is an alumnus of the University that wants to take over its land and sale as plots without due consideration. 

“This land belongs to Ahmadu Bello University and no Jupiter will be allowed to take it, even if such persons are the closest in relationship to the Governor, Nasir Ahmed El-Rufa’i.

“In view of this development, we want to sound a word of caution to the Governor of Kaduna state to desist from this callousness and unlawful taking over of the property belonging to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

“To the buyers, we advise them not to pay for any land allocated to them in this place because doing so will be futile. Let me reiterate that ASUU, ABU chapter, shall never rest until this matter is resolved in favour of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.”

The Unionist, however, said that in the event that the Governor turned deaf ear to the plea, they will have no other option than to take legal action against him and any other person that was a party to the encroachment.