Kano Emirate Council denies sale of Gandun Sarki

The Kano Emirate Council has denied selling the Gandun Sarki land that has pitted Emir Aminu Ado Bayero against the state’s Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC), Daily Trust exclusively reports.

Daily Trust reports that the anti-graft commission is investigating the emirate council over the alleged sale of 22 hectares of land at Gandun Sarki, Dorayi Karama in Gwale Local Government Area of Kano State and the alleged diversion of the money into private royal pockets.

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Court papers in a suit filed by the alleged buyer, Alhaji Yusuf Shuaibu Aliyu, to restrain the anti-corruption boss from stopping construction works had indicated that the emirate council sold 14 of the 22 hectares to him at N200million while the heirs of the late Emir Ado Bayero sold the remaining eight hectares to him at N575million.

However, in the council’s reply to enquiries from PCACC, a copy of which was sighted by Daily Trust, it said it never approve the sale of the land.

The letter dated April 15 and signed by Alhaji Abba Yusuf, the council’s Secretary, read: “I am directed to inform you that Kano Emirate Council did not approve the sale of Gandun Sarki at Dorayi. Therefore, the sale of the land is ab-initio, null and void. It’s never sold to either Ja’en B and Sons or to Cityscape Properties Ltd.”

It continues: “The council views with great concern some allegations made against certain individuals some of whom are employees of the Council. Accordingly, the council has started its own investigation into this matter, the outcome of which will be made available to your commission.”

Subsequently, the council implored the anti-graft commission “to please bear with it and exercise due restrain pending the outcome of its investigation.”

The letter further states that “with regards to the portion of the said land belonging to the estate of the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, I am pleased to forward herewith a copy of a self-explanatory letter with appendices as received from the Ado Bayero Royal City Trust Fund”. Credible sources close to the investigation, however, told Daily Trust that investigators are not satisfied with the letter and appendices, saying what they (investigators) have uncovered was contrary to what the council wanted it to believe as per the location of the land sold by the heirs of the late Emir.

Meanwhile, the PCACC has directed the council to release to it the trio of Kabiru Sarki Waziri (son of Danrimin Kano), Isa Sunusi Bayero and Awaisu Abbas Sunusi today (Monday) for questioning.

The commission, it was gathered, told the council in a letter dated April 16 that its investigation “which is purely administrative will not stop our criminal investigation which is based on an alleged violation of the Penal Laws.”