The Sokoto State Government has sealed an office of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over a dispute surrounding the ownership of the property.
The Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Barrister Nasiru Dantsoho, who announced the sealing on Monday, said the action was taken to protect lives and property following a recent disturbance involving party supporters and some miscreants.
Dantsoho said the government reviewed available documents relating to the property and discovered that it was originally owned by the defunct Savannah Bank, with no official change of ownership reflected in the records.
He said the government had written to the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), which he described as the custodian of the property, seeking clarification on its current ownership but was yet to receive a response.
“Following a review of the certificate of occupancy and other relevant documents, we discovered that this property belongs to the Savannah Bank, and that ownership has not changed as of today.
“We have written to the NDIC, the custodian of this building, to clarify its present ownership, but we are yet to receive a response,” he said.
The commissioner said the government decided to seal the premises pending the NDIC’s response, stressing that the measure was necessary to prevent further disturbances and safeguard lives and property.
He appealed to anyone claiming ownership of the building to present relevant documents to the government for verification and proper documentation, after which the property could be released to its rightful owner.
Dantsoho, however, maintained that the property would remain under the control of the state government until the ownership issue was resolved.
He warned that anyone who attempted to forcefully gain access to the sealed premises would face appropriate legal action, including prosecution.
The development comes amid rising political tension in Sokoto following allegations of attacks involving supporters of the ADC and operatives of a state-owned security outfit.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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