From Umar Danladi Ado, Sokoto
The erstwhile government of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal in Sokoto State Government had allocated 1859 land to some people at state proposed Mega city as part of its last-minute activities.
Testifying before the presiding judge of the Sokoto State Judiciary Commission of EnquiryJustice Mu’azu Pinga, Secretary Sokoto State Government Committee on Lands Allocation and Related Matters, Alhaji Bashir Muhammad disclosed this while testifying before the State Commission of Enquiry into the eight years activities of the immediate past administration.
Alhaji Muhammad further said a total of N55,770.000 was realised as revenue by the Ministry of Land and Housing during the plots allocation exercise.
He stated that the ministry collected N30,000 from every beneficiary of the mega city land allocation exercise as processing and administrative fees before acquiring the allocation letter.
He, however, said that a preliminary investigation conducted by his committee also revealed that established procedures were not followed.
Similarly, the committee identified that direct allocation was made to the beneficiaries instead of a written application as provided by the established procedure in the allocation of the plots.
The committee also observed that certain individuals received multiple allocations during the exercise.
He cited an example with Dogon Marke General Enterprises Company Limited, owned by one Abdullahi Balarabe Salame, a former House of Representatives member representing the Gwadabawa/Illela federal constituency who was allocated 30 plots.
However, the Counsel to the commission, Barrister Amanzi Amanzi later tendered as evidence, the decrements presented by the secretary of the committee to the panel.
On his part, the Counsel to the witness, Barrister A. A Sokoto objected to the witness evidence and assured to give the commission their reasons in their brief.
Also, testifying before the commission as a witness, the Sokoto State Surveyor General, Engr. Bashir Lawal Isa told the commission that the Ministry of Land and Housing had carved out and demarcated 1440 plots.
He explained that the exercise was carried out in phases adding that 9 phases had been carved out on the directives of the former governor.
The Surveyor General, however, explained that the ministry is currently working out the eight phases.
The ministry also curved out plots in Government House GRA that exceeded 0.5 hectares of land.
