The Kwara state government has demolished the political home of the family of former senate President, Bukola Saraki. The demolition exercise took place in the early hours of today January 2nd.
The building which is popularly referred to as ‘Ile Arúgbó’ in Ilorin, the state capital, was demolished under the supervision of security operatives who kept protesters including aged women away.
Recall that in December 2019, the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, had announced the decision of the state government to demolish the property on grounds that the land on which the property was erected, was illegally acquired by the Saraki family.
According to the state governor, the land was originally designated for the construction of a secretariat and parking lot of the civil service clinic, but was unlawfully allocated to a private firm — Asa Investments Limited which is allegedly owned by the Sarakis.
In his defence, the former Senate president, Bukola Saraki, in a statement released, argued that his late father lawfully acquired the land from the state government.
“The property had been rightfully allocated to my late father under the name of one of his companies, Asa Investment Limited, since the 1980s and contrary to the claim of the Governor, the land was properly allocated and a Right of Occupancy title issued on it” Saraki said
