Saraki, Kwara supporters protest Ile Arugbo demolition

Former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has petitioned the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr Victor Olaiya, over an alleged breach of court order on the demolition of the Ile Arugbo building.

The building, which belonged to the Saraki family, was situated on plots of land at G.R.A., Ilorin, belonging to the late Dr Olusola Saraki, the patriarch of the family.

The crisis over the ownership of the property began in 2021 as the Kwara State government revoked the allocation to the Saraki family without notice.

To stall any further action on the land, Saraki instituted legal action and the court granted an interim order restraining the defendants, including the Inspector General of Police from further action on the property, pending the hearing and final determination of the suit.

The family claimed that agents of the Kwara State governments were seen recently demolishing the structures on the land, erected about 40 years ago, against the court order.

Saraki, in the petition to the CP, signed by AbdulAzeez Ibrahim, one of the counsel supporting the lead counsel, Dr Akin Onigbinde, dated July 18, 2024, and made available to newsmen in Ilorin, on Wednesday, alleged that the state government went to demolish the structures and buildings thereon while the suit was still pending.

Saraki’s petition read: “In the suit no: KWS/112/2021 of Asa Investments Limited and 1 or V. Governor of Kwara State and 4 Ors, the claimants in the suit mentioned complained of a breach of the order of Honourable Justice A. A. Adebara, the Chief Judge of Kwara State.

“The claim in the suit referred to above is in respect of the plots of land at G.R.A., Ilorin, belonging to the late Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki on which buildings known and called Ile Arugbo.

“The plots of land and the buildings thereon were to be demolished by the Kwara State Government sometime in the year 2021 on the alleged revocation of the plots of land without notice of revocation issued and served on the family of the said late Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki and, consequently, the above-named suit was instituted and commenced against the Kwara State Governor, among other defendants, including the Inspector General of Police as 5th defendant.

“While in court, an interim order of injunction was granted against all the defendants, including the Inspector General of Police, restraining them from doing anything on the plots of land now the subject matter of the suit, pending the hearing and final determination of the suit.

“In addition to the said interim order of injunction, the then Attorney General of Kwara State in person of Salman Jawondo, SAN made an undertaking on behalf of the Governor of Kwara State not to do or engage in doing anything on the land, till the final determination of the suit mentioned above.”

It said against the court order, the defendants returned to the disputed plots of land and commenced demolition of structures on it.

“We solicit your official intervention in this lawless act of the Kwara State Government by calling on the Governor of Kwara State to order and stop his acts of demolishing the structures/buildings on the plots of land in dispute, pending the hearing and determination of the pending suit,” the petition read.

In a protest against the government’s action on Wednesday, a group of young professionals, under the auspices of Kwara Rescue Team, embarked on a protest over the resumption of construction work on the disputed Ile Arugbo land.

The youth carried placards with various inscriptions, such as: “Say no to oppression,” “If you can’t obey the law, how can you handle LG poll?”, “Kwarans are not happy”, “Ile Arugbo case still in the court”, and “Governance is different from family rivalry,” among others.

They camped at an open space beside the disputed land and condemned the state government for not adhering to the order of the state high court.

Speaking with journalists during the protest, the Convener General of KRS, Mr Adio Odunjo, said the group was unhappy with the lawlessness of the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

He said, “We, as young professionals, condemn in the strongest terms the ongoing construction work by the Kwara State government on Ile-Arugbo.

“This action directly contravenes a subsisting court order and undermines the judicial process, inviting anarchy and a breakdown of law and order in our dear state. This must be resisted by all well-meaning Kwarans and Nigerians.”

He asked the government to cease all activities and respect the court order and the undertaking signed before the court.

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