The management of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria has threatened to begin contempt proceedings against Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State over the encroachment of the university’s land.
The land covering 196.258 hectares is situated at the College of Agriculture and Animal Science, Mando in the Igabi Local Government Area of the state.
It was reported that a court order dated January 18 and signed by Justice K. Dabo of the Kaduna State High Court, Zaria division had granted an interim order restraining the governor and the state’s attorney general, their servants, agents and privies from further entering and trespassing on the said land.
However, it was gathered that as of Tuesday, Kaduna State Urban Development Authority (KASUPDA) staff were seen on the land demolishing a parameter fence earlier erected by ABU.
But ABU in a letter by its solicitors, Maakees Chambers, and served on KASUPDA and Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS) yesterday said it would begin contempt proceedings against the government unless they desisted from encroaching.
It was gathered that El-Rufai, an alumnus of ABU Zaria graduated with First Class Honours in Quantity Surveying in 1980.
It was also reported that based on the land use analysis, the land in contention was to be used by Kaduna State Government for residential, commercial, recreational and public use which would be divided into about 529 plots covering an area of 133.89 hectares.
When contacted, the Director-General of KADGIS, Altine Jibrin, said the agency would not comment on the issue as the matter was in court.
At KASUPDA, the agency’s Public Relations Officer, Nuhu Garba, said KASUPDA would respond at the right time.
