The Sokoto State Government has sealed one of the offices of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following a recent disturbance involving supporters of the party and some suspected miscreants.
The Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Barrister Nasiru Dantsoho, announced the development on Monday, saying the decision was taken to protect lives and property and prevent further disturbances.
Dantsoho said the government reviewed available documents relating to the property and discovered that it originally belonged to the defunct Savannah Bank, with no official change of ownership reflected in the records.
He explained that the state 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.
However, he said the government was yet to receive a response from the corporation.
“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,” the commissioner said.
“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 added.
According to him, the government decided to seal the premises pending clarification from the NDIC, stressing that the measure was necessary to safeguard lives and property.
The commissioner urged anyone claiming ownership of the building to submit relevant documents to the government for verification and proper documentation.
He said the property could be released to its rightful owner once the ownership claims had been established.
Dantsoho, however, maintained that the premises would remain under the control of the state government until the ownership dispute was resolved.
He also warned that anyone attempting to forcefully gain access to the sealed building would face legal action, including prosecution.
The development comes amid heightened political tension in Sokoto State following allegations of attacks involving ADC supporters and operatives of a state-owned security outfit.
