Saraki’s ‘Political Home’ Demolished In Kwara State

AISHA ABUBAKAR

The Kwara State government has eventually demolished Saraki’s political home better known as ‘Ile Arúgbó’ in Ilorin.

The building was demolished early Thursday morning after security operatives dispersed protesters, including aged women within the complex.

The State Government had fixed midnight for the demolition exercise to avoid a clash with Saraki’s loyalists, who had been keeping vigil in the area.

The Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, had in December, 2019, announced his decision to revoke the late Olusola Saraki’s property owing to alleged illegality in its acquisition.

He said the land was originally designated for the construction of a secretariat and parking lot of the Civil Service Clinic, but that it was unlawfully allocated to a private firm — Asa Investments Limited — without any record of payment to the state government.

But the former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, countered the statement, saying 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.