Kebbi Govt Accuses ADC Of Politicising Private Land Dispute

The Kebbi State Government has accused the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of politicising a private land dispute in Birnin Kebbi, alleging that the opposition party is spreading misinformation for political gains.

The government said investigations by the Ministry of Lands and Housing established that the disputed property, located along Sani Abacha Bypass in Birnin Kebbi, belongs to a private businessman, Alhaji Umar Muhammad Gulumbe.

It also accused the opposition party of misrepresenting previous security incidents in the state.

Addressing a press conference, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Yakubu Ahmed, said the controversy followed the demolition of a building on the disputed property on November 26.

He explained that the incident attracted public attention after videos circulated on social media, alleging that the state government had deployed earth-moving equipment to demolish a property belonging to the ADC.

The Commissioner, however, dismissed the allegations, insisting that the incident was a private land dispute between individuals and had no involvement of the state government.

According to him, Umar Muhammad Gulumbe presented documents to establish ownership of the property, including a Certificate of Occupancy reportedly signed by former Governor Senator Adamu Aliero.

Ahmed further disclosed that Gulumbe had reported the alleged trespass to the police and submitted a petition to the Ministry of Lands and Housing, which subsequently investigated the matter.

He maintained that the state government had no prior involvement in the demolition, stressing that any disagreement over ownership should be resolved through the appropriate legal channels.

The Commissioner challenged anyone laying claim to the property to present relevant ownership documents before a competent court rather than resorting to social media allegations.

He also called on political actors to exercise restraint in their public statements, warning that the spread of unverified information could heighten political tension and threaten peaceful coexistence in the state.

However, the full circumstances surrounding the disputed property, including the competing claims and allegations, remain subject to independent verification and, where necessary, determination by the appropriate authorities.