The committee on review of sales of Kwara state government properties between 1919 to date, Sunday said there was no proof of payment or ownership from anyone for acquisition of the reclaimed landed property on which the demolished “charity home” (Ile -Arugbo ) was built.
The committee also said there was no proof of Right of Occupancy (R of O) or Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) indicating that the landed property was ever acquired by Asa Investment purportedly owned by the Second Republic Senate leader, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki or any person.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Suleiman Makanjuola Ajadi, stated this at a press conference in Ilorin Sunday.
He also said that his committee had concluded his assignments and submitted its recommendation since July 2019, contrary to insinuations making the rounds that it hurriedly carried out an ad-hoc work for the purpose of revocation of the Ile -Arugbo.
Ajadi who was flanked by other members of the committee during the press conference, said the controversy over the reclamation of the land bordering the civil service clinic was needless because the Kwara state government has only recovered a property that originally belonged to it but was unlawfully diverted for private
Ajadi said many of the publications on the land were either erroneous or mischievous as there are no proofs anywhere that the land ever belongs to Asa Investment Limited.
“The issue of the land in question came under the terms of reference of this committee which considered several other properties of government and submitted its recommendations in July 2019.
“As was the case with all the properties looked into by the committee, the committee’s recommendations were based on strictly available records from the archives of government. And based on the available records, the committee did not see proof of any payments nor an approved Right of Occupancy even though there was a letter of allocation in principle.
“In reaching its conclusions, the committee noted foundation work with erected columns at varying areas of the larger segment of the land. The committee also noted that the land in question was also a part of a larger parcel of land, part of which has been developed into the Civil Service Clinic and secretariat complex now housing the state Ministry of Finance, among others.
“Finally, based on the existing convention that land acquired by government in overriding public interest cannot be converted to private use, unless under extraneous circumstances which requires the express approval of the governor of the state, the committee did not see a case made for this land and neither was there any approval from the governor of the state to convert it to private use. In view of the above reasons, therefore, the committee was compelled to recommend that the land be repossessed and put to the original use it was meant for.”
