Armed Policemen Deployed in Reclaimed Land by Kwara Govt

By Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Armed policemen have been deployed in the large expanse of land belonging to the late Second Republic Senate Leader, Dr Olusola Saraki, located at Ilofa GRA, Ilorin which the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, reclaimed for the state government last Friday.

The residents of Ilofa GRA, Ilorin, where the land is located, are afraid that Tuesday’s deployment of policemen to the area was preparatory to a possible demolition of the structures erected on the land.

AbdulRazaq had announced plans to construct a new secretariat on the land, which he claimed was obtained without any documentation, a claim the former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, denied.

Since the revocation order was issued last Friday, Abdulrazaq and Saraki have engaged in accusations and counter accusations over the land, which the state government said belongs to the Civil Service Clinic and which Saraki said belongs to his late father.

Also, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kwara Agenda Network and former governorship candidate of Labour Party during the last general election, Issa Aremu, have condemned the revocation of the property belonging to the late Saraki.

A visit by THISDAY to the Ilofa GRA land Tuesday morning showed the heavy security presence at the place.

It was further gathered that the presence of the armed policemen in the area might be to prevent the aged women who usually throng the “charity home” at the end of every month to receive monetary gifts from the Saraki family from gaining entrance into the facility.

Reacting to the development, the spokesman for the state police command, Ajayi Okasanmi, said that the deployment of the security men to the area was for security purpose.

He said: “It is important to forestall breakdown of law and order in the state, following perceived media war trailing the issue and various reactions from politicians on the matter.”