Saraki Slams Abdulrazaq Over Demolition of Moshood Mustapha’s Complex, * Reveals Alleged Plans By Gov To Demolish ,His Father, Sola Saraki’s Burial Site * Says Kwarans Can’t Be Cowed By Wave of Demolition Exercise * Abdulrasaq Has Come up With His Madness Again – M M * Protesters Hurl Curses At Governor * Unveiling the lies of Kwara State Government: Mashood Mustapha’s Crystal Place was approved for Commercial Purposes, not car park– Mustapha’s Spokesperson * How Crystal Place Tenants Were Given 3hr Quit Notice, Complex Demolished Under Cover Of Darkness *Kwara Govt Explains Action , Says Land Allocated For Car Park, Not Corner Shops
By Omowumi Omotosho
The president of the 8th Senate and Waziri of Ilorin, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has criticized the recent demolition of Crystal Place, a business complex located on Sulu Gambari Road in Ilorin, Kwara State and owned by an APC Chieftain and former member of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Mashood Mustapha.
The demolition, ordered by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has stirred controversy across the state, with Saraki labeling the act as part of a broader strategy by the governor to intimidate and suppress opposition voices.
Saraki emphasized in a statement posted on his official Facebook handle that his opposition to the demolition is not based on his political history with the mall’s owner, Mustapha.
Despite their past relationship, Saraki made it clear that his stance is rooted in his broader commitment to the people of Kwara State and the economic development of the region.
“Ordinarily, some people would expect that I would be indifferent to the weekend demolition of the Crystal Place, a shopping mall on Sulu Gambari Road in Ilorin, ordered by the government of Kwara State, because of the political relationship between me and the owner, Hon. Moshood Mustapha, who after serving as my commissioner, Special Adviser, and House of Representatives member under the platform of our party, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and has worked against our structure since 2018″.
” However, it is not my style to take positions on issues from the narrow, parochial perspective. It is my view that one should always look at the big picture, a broad perspective of any issue in reacting to it. It is violence against the people of Kwara State and the economy of the state. My decision to speak out against this action that reflects the pettiness of the governor and his government, which is anti-people, and against the economic development of the state is irrespective of who is involved,” the statement read.
Saraki questioned the timing of the demolition, asking why the governor only took action against the mall after more than five years in office. He linked the decision to the aftermath of local government elections, where Abdulrazaq allegedly lost popular support.
“The State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is using this demolition exercise to intimidate, suppress, and silence all Kwarans. It is his reaction to the growing unpopularity of everything that he represents within the state. Why is Abdulrazaq just realising the fault or whatever he interprets to be wrong with the building of the Crystal Mall structure after 64 months that he has been in office?
The Kwara State Governor is ordering this demolition as his response in the aftermath of the recently conducted local government polls where people in all the constituencies massively voted and rose against his party and its candidates, even when he malevolently, fraudulently, and maliciously got contrary results to be declared by his hand-picked electoral officials. This is the beginning of a war against Kwara State for rejecting a governor who has failed to deliver good governance on all fronts. We should recall that he has ordered the arrest of some opposition politicians on frame-up charges. In my view, Abdulrazaq believes unveiling a regime of violence and destruction against the people, particularly, the elite and their property will impose a culture of silence on the state,” Saraki stated.
However, Saraki warned of rumors circulating in Ilorin that Abdulrazaq’s next target for demolition could be the site where the remains of his late father, Oloye (Dr.) Abubakar Olusola Saraki, are buried. He vowed that this would not deter him from continuing to speak out against the governor’s policies.
“Now, the news circulating across Ilorin is that the next target of Abdulrazaq’s demolition squad is the place where the remains of my late father, Oloye (Dr.) Abubakar Olusola Saraki, of blessed memory, is interred. Even, this evil plan will not stop me from saying what is right. Let me make it clear that he will only try, he must be joking if he thinks he can erase the legacies left by the great Oloye,” he said.
Saraki also knocked Abdulrazaq for engaging in personal vendettas through these demolitions, contrasting the current governor’s actions with his predecessors.
“What this Governor should know is that Kwara State does not belong to him. The state has existed long before he became governor and will continue to exist after he has ceased to be governor. After all, he has just about 31 months before he becomes a former governor. Abdulrazaq is the seventh democratically elected governor. None of those before him embarked on the demolition of properties to fight political opponents or score cheap political points. If I or the five other elected governors before him – late Alh. Adamu Attah, Chief C. O. Adebayo, Alh. Shaba Lafiagi, late Alh. Mohammed Lawal, and Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed – had been demolishing the structures belonging to people for personal vendetta, nothing would have remained of Kwara State before he assumed office in 2019,” Saraki declared.
Saraki also raised alarm over the negative impact the demolition exercise would have on the state economy.
According to Saraki, “with this demolition of Crystal Mall, over one hundred youths who work there have lost their jobs and source of livelihood. Also, the 21 shop owners in that complex have lost their investment. What a loss to the state economy! At a time when people are facing hardship and there are no jobs, the focus of government should not be to destroy investment. The emphasis should be on how to grow the economy, help the private sector increase its investment in the state, generate employment, and make life better for ordinary people. These are key aspects of the basic functions of a government that has a purpose.”
In his concluding remarks, Saraki called on all key stakeholders in Kwara State to rise against what he described as a “war against the people” waged by the current administration. “We should not be afraid to speak truth to power,” he urged. He also encouraged the people of Kwara to remain fearless and united in standing up against the governor’s actions, warning that they must not allow Abdulrazaq to “destroy the peace that Kwara State is known for.”
Nocturnal demolition, Moshood Mustapha’s Reaction
The Kwara State government on Sunday night demolished the Crystal Place Mall, after a 3-hour eviction notice was issued to occupants on Saturday.
The agents of the state government carried out the demolition far late in the night during rainfall. It was not clear why the government chose to carry out the demolition at that ungodly hour and in a seemingly surreptitious manner.
It will however be recalled that Ile-Arugbo belonging to political Icon, Late Dr Olusola Saraki was demolished in a similar manner by the state government in January, 2021.
The sudden directive to demolish Moshood Mustapha’s Crystal Place sparked protests and outrage, with demonstrators hurling curses at Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for what they saw as an unjust move.
In a 5-minute video, released while the demolition was going on, Mustapha who has just been conferred with a high chieftaincy title, “Wakilli of the Ilorin Emirate” by the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, reacted furiously to the destruction of his property. He accused the governor of acting out of political vendetta.
“Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the governor of Kwara State, has come up with his madness again. He threatened to demolish my summit complex just because of a mere political disagreement. He has lost it completely in Kwara State because he’s been running a one-man show in Kwara politics.”
Mustapha went on to allege that Governor Abdulrazaq has been sidelining other members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and that this demolition was a direct result of his refusal to continue working with the governor. He criticized the governor for leveraging state machinery to settle personal scores.
“At about 7pm this night, they barricaded everywhere, all the corners leading to the shopping complex as if they wanted to go and wage war against Boko Haram. Now at 9pm, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, in collaboration with the Kwara State commissioner of police, took his men, barricaded, sent everybody away, and went in with bulldozers to destroy a property worth a billion Naira.”
Mustapha expressed frustration over the involvement of the Kwara State police in what he described as an illegal demolition, calling on the President of Nigeria to intervene and restore justice.
Unveiling the lies of Kwara State Government
In an official statement released by Mashood’s Head of Media and Public Relations, Dr. Opeyemi Aregbesola, the statement unveiled what they described as “the lies of the Kwara State government” regarding the true purpose of the land on which Crystal Place was built. The statement clarifies that the property was initially approved for commercial purposes and not as a car park, as claimed by the state government.
“Hon. Mashood Mustapha (MM), a passionate Kwara-born serial entrepreneur, thought it wise to invest in his state and create employment for the youth while also contributing to the economic development of his dear state. In 2013, he acquired a plot of land along Sulu Gambari Road for COMMERCIAL purposes from the Kwara State Bureau of Lands. He was allotted the plot of land after fulfilling all the requirements for the acquisition of the land,” the statement reads.
The statement further elaborated that Mashood had obtained the necessary building approval from the Town Planning Development Authority, and that Crystal Place was constructed in compliance with the approved building plan. “There was never an encroachment on government setbacks,” it asserts.
Moreover, the state further asserted that ” On Monday 13th May 2024, agents from the Kwara State Geographic Information Service (KW-GIS) marked some parts of the building for demolition without any official notice. Despite the presentation of the approved building plan, the fence and adjoining buildings were demolished on Saturday 18th May 2024.”
The demolition climaxed on Sunday night, following the issuance of a three-hour eviction notice to the business tenants last Saturday.
“At about 9 pm on Sunday, the Kwara State Government mobilized security operatives to barricade the roads leading to Crystal Place for a smooth demolition,” the statement revealed.
According to Mustapha’s media team, the government’s explanation that the land was allocated for a car park rather than for commercial purposes was an attempt to “whip up sentiment against the owner of the property.” The statement decries the government’s actions as politically motivated: “There is no need to sugar-coat it, this is pure political vendetta.”
While acknowledging the legal precedent of compulsory acquisition for overriding public interest, the statement insists that constitutional procedures were not followed in this case. “Evicting a landowner without any consideration for his constitutional rights smacks of political vindictiveness,” the statement asserts.
The statement also highlights Hon. Mustapha’s significant contributions to the state during his tenure in public office and beyond.
“Hon. MM has contributed immensely to the development of Kwara State both while in office as an Honourable Member of the House of Representatives representing the good people of Ilorin West/Asa Federal Constituency, and even after the expiration of his tenure. His contributions as an illustrious son of Ilorin Emirate earned him the title of Wakilin Ngeri. Such a personality does not deserve to be treated with disdain by the government but the Governor knows best,” the statement read.
Despite the setbacks, Hon. Mustapha and his team remain undeterred as they viewed the demolition exercise as the act of God.
“We have taken the destruction as an act of God. The current situation will not deter Hon. MM from contributing his quota to the development of his fatherland,” the statement concludes.
How Crystal Place Tenants Were Given 3hr Quit Notice, Complex Demolished Under Cover Of Darkness
Business owners at the Crystal Place Mall along Sulu-Gambari Road, Ilorin, owned by Hon. Moshood Mustapha, a former member of the Federal House of Representatives, were thrown into panic on Saturday after receiving a sudden three-hour notice to vacate the premises.
According to findings, the directive came from the General Manager of the Kwara state Bureau of Land and the General Manager of Kwara state Town Planning, signaling the government’s intention to demolish the complex.
The abruptness of the notice sparked widespread concern among the mall’s business owners, many of whom say the limited time given was insufficient to secure their investments.
A business owner, speaking anonymously, expressed frustration over the situation.
“We were not notified in advance. We were here yesterday conducting business as usual, and this morning we were suddenly told we have just three hours to pack our goods. It is unfair. We are destabilized. Imagine if we hadn’t come to the office today—what could have happened to us?”
Another shop owner, who also requested anonymity to avoid conflict with the authorities, voiced deep disappointment: “This is unfair and uncalled for. It’s uncivilized. They didn’t give us prior notice, and now they expect us to move everything in just three hours. Why give us a verbal notice abd want us to move on the same day? I’m in pain.”
Other shop owners refused to talk to the media as they were visibly in pain due to the tension mounted on them with abrupt 3-hours eviction notice.
However, adding to the chorus of concerns, one of the media aides to Moshood Mustapha, Alanamu Abiola Kazeem, shared his perspective on the incident. “What really transpired this morning( Saturday)is that, it was around past 11 a.m. and it was raining, so we saw the GM of the Bureau of Land and the General Manager of town Planning. They were going into some shops at Crystal Place Complex on Sulu Gambari Road, Ilorin, which belongs to an APC chieftain Hon. Moshood Mustapha.
“They were asking the shop owners to vacate the facilities within the next three hours, saying they were coming to seal up the place. There was no formal notice. They didn’t notify anybody in advance. They just came this morning and said in the next three hours they were shutting down the place,” he said.
Kazeem further assured that the management team is actively addressing the situation. “The management teams are on top of the situation, and as time goes on, they will give the media further updates,” he added.
Also, there was a protest within the complex premises by a group of concerned citizens, who voiced their opposition to the planned demolition. As they gathered, their chants echoed through the area, pleading, “Rahmon, be merciful,” urging the authorities to reconsider their decision.
National pilot recalls that this incident follows a similar exercise in May when the Kwara State Government carried out a demolition in the state capital, leading to the destruction of shops and properties worth millions of naira. That event sparked widespread reactions from affected business owners and residents, many of whom felt they were not adequately compensated or given sufficient time to prepare.
During the May demolition, Crystal Place Mall, located on Sulu-Gambari Road, was partially affected, with its fence and part of the building demolished. Mustapha then had accused the state government of targeting him for political reasons.
In a viral five-minute video clip, Mustapha expressed his belief that the demolition exercise was politically motivated.
He said, “We all know it is political. The governor has taken a position against me. To destroy me economically. What he did this morning is a testament to who he is, he is a destroyer. Let him continue, his time is running out. I believe in God and my people of Kwara, things will be better, we will get rid of this government at the appropriate time in a democratic manner,”
The sudden eviction and looming demolition left many business owners scrambling to safeguard their goods, while others remain in a state of uncertainty about the future of their businesses as the government moves forward with its plans.
Kwara Govt Explains Action , Says Land Allocated For Car Park, Not Corner Shops
Kwara State Geographic Information Service (KW-GIS) said it demolished the Crystal Place Mall because new findings show clearly that the complex grossly violated government’s land use approval issued to the owner on March 22, 2013.
“The approval was for the purpose of a commercial “car park only,” KW-GIS said in a statement on Sunday.
KWGIS also said the complex conspicuously created obstacles for urban planning, road expansion and environmental protection, key features of the urban renewal programme of the government.
“It is trite to say that a land allotted for the purpose of a car park cannot and should not become corner shops which it became overnight,” it said.
“Importantly, the land was originally designed as a green area (a garden) where civil servants, pensioners, and members of the public relaxed at the new state secretariat complex.”
The agency said tenants occupying the shops have been asked to remove their goods, adding that the ongoing urban renewal programme is in the best interest of the public.
” The programme is neutral to affiliations as many defaulting properties had earlier been removed for similar reasons, and it will be unfair to give preferential treatment to any structures above the larger interest of the public”, the agency in a statement signed by its Chairman, Esv. Sulyman Abdulkareem, concluded.
As the political battle intensifies in Kwara, the demolition of the Crystal Place Mall is likely to have lasting repercussions on the local political landscape, with Mustapha.
