The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has seized over 1,000 plots of land believed to have been illegally acquired by criminal syndicates.
The Commission’s Chairman, Barrister Muhuyi Magaji, made this announcement during a press briefing in Kano, revealing the extent of the land-grabbing operations across various parts of the state.
The syndicates, according to Magaji, have been exploiting legal loopholes by collaborating with certain lawyers to orchestrate fraudulent land acquisitions. These unscrupulous individuals employ tactics such as filing fake applications with fabricated defendants to obtain consent judgments for lands that belong to the state government. Magaji emphasized that the government has no involvement in these fraudulent actions, as all the contested lands are owned by Kano State.
“The land grabbers work with lawyers to forge names and file fictitious cases, leading to illegal consent judgments that deprive rightful owners of their property,” said Magaji.
He confirmed that under an executive order signed by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Commission is now empowered to recover lands that have been wrongfully taken.
Magaji also praised the efforts of the Department of State Services (DSS), whose agents recently rejected a bribe offer of N2.8 million from one of the suspects during their arrest.
While the Commission’s efforts are in full swing, two individuals have already been arrested and are currently aiding the ongoing investigation. Magaji reiterated the Commission’s dedication to supporting Governor Yusuf’s administration in creating a corruption-free and orderly state.
With the focus on tackling land-grabbing syndicates, Magaji expressed optimism that the current crackdown will bring an end to the illegal occupation of state lands.
