Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi, a member of the House of Representatives, has denied claims by the Bauchi State Government that construction work on his building is illegal.
Officials of the state government had in the earlier hours of 1st October demolished the building located at No. 7 Buba Yero Road, Old GRA, Bauchi, and later claimed that the property was illegally acquired by the lawmaker as the building was initially allocated to the state House of Assembly to serve as its guest’s house.
Reacting to the government claim on the building, Abdullahi, who represents Bauchi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, told journalists in Bauchi through one of his aides, Ukkasha Hamza Rahama, that he legally acquired the property from its former owner and a deed of assignment duly prepared and registered after Bauchi State government approved the consent to assign the property to him and Certificate of Occupancy were issued to him.
According to him, “The building construction on the property covered by Certificate of Occupancy No. BA/39705 was not an illegal construction.
“The Bauchi State government granted approval to Hon. Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi to erect the structures and in line with the Bauchi State Government approval that Hon. Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi commenced construction on his plot of land at No. 7 Buba Yero Road, Old GRA, Bauchi.”
He alleged that in demolishing the building, the state government violated all laid down rules and regulations without any recourse to the laid down process of carrying out such demolition, declaring that, “the demolition was carried out late in the night.”
The lawmaker’s aide said the government action came after it collected a huge sum of money from Abdullahi, alleging that the issue raised by the government is due to political differences, declaring that the lawmaker lawfully acquired the property.
“Having collected a huge sum of money from Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi, Bauchi State government is now raising issues on the property just because of political differences with him.
“Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi came into the property lawfully after following due process for acquisition of the landed property and at the time his title was challenged before a court of law,” he said.
He berated the state government for demolishing the building, noting that it neither has respect for the rule of law nor consider human rights and dignity in its act of governance.
While describing the state government’s demolition of the house as against the rule of law and abdication of its responsibility of protecting the life and property of its citizens, he alleged that agents of the government caused grievous injuries to the security guards on duty as of the time of the demolition in question without any provocation.
He submitted that instead of showing value for the sanctity of human life, the government was busy pursuing a political vendetta against perceived enemies who were performing better than the government.
He said that the demolition was carried out after the lawmaker had filed a case before the court, joining the state government, the state Attorney-General, the Ministry of Land and Survey and State Urban Development Board as respondents.
I didn’t acquire building illegally – Lawmaker tackles Bauchi govt over demolition