By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The Kano State Government has alerted the public the existence of a dangerous land grabbing syndicate in the State.
This is just as the State’s Anti-graft Agency announced the apprehension of some Judicial officials, and lawyers suspected to be involved in the illegal activities.
At an interaction session with the Media on Friday, January 17, 2025, the Executive Chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission PCACC, Barr. Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, alleged that the unholy syndicate comprises Government and Judicial officials, as well as lawyers, who engaged in the illegal acquisitions of public and private lands in the State
According to him, the group has been discovered to be involved in the seizure, and grabbing of over 1,200 parcels of land in some parts of the State.
Rimin Gado, who informed that the authorities unmasked the gang recently, also stated that the anti-graft agency has put machineries in place to carry out a comprehensive inquest into their nefarious activities.
The Commission’s Chairman noted that the investigation is targeted at unraveling more about the syndicate, including their modus operandi and others associated with their illegal land grabbing activities.
The Chairman, noted that so far preliminary findings have revealed that the gang with an extensive network, has been discovered to have masterminded many schemes to illegally acquire both public and private lands across Kano.
According to Rimin Gado, the syndicate which has the unalloyed backing of some Judiciary staff, Kano State Land Officials ,Legal Practitioners, and others has over the years, been able to establish a complex network that exploit some lapses in the system to forge documents, backdate sales agreement, as well as secure fraudulent Court rulings when necessary to acquire lands.
“The land grabbers specialize in colluding with individuals in positions of authority to acquire lands fraudulently.
They manipulate legal processes, forge documents to legitimize their claims. Many of these involve lands belonging to deceased individuals, absentee owners ,and others”, Rimin Gado noted
The Commission Chairman referenced a particular case involving about 40 plots of land which was recently recovered from the syndicate.
According to the Anti-graft Commission Chairman, the owners of the property in the first place never mortgaged it ,yet the syndicate managed to dispossess the owners.
The recovered land, he informed, is valued at over N20 million. He explained that in the course of the investigation into the matter, several suspects, including Government officials, Lawyers and Judiciary Staff were arrested.
One of the arrested persons, according to Rimin Gado, was found with about N 2,857 ,000 cash.
“We are are pursing legal actions against all those involved in these criminal activities.
“Based on legal advice, we will take appropriate steps to ensure justice is served”, he noted.
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