‘Ile Arugbo’: Saraki seeks out-of-court settlement with Kwara govt

The Saraki family has officially written the Kwara state government to settle the dispute concerning the demolition of “Ile Arugbo” outside the court . 

“Ile Arugbo”, known to be the political home of Olusola Saraki, father of ex-Senate President Bukola Saraki, was demolished by the state government following the revocation of the land.

AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Kwara governor, had said the land originally designated for the construction of a secretariat and parking lot of the civil service clinic, was illegally allocated to Asa Investments Limited, a private firm, owned by the late father of the ex-senate president.

But Saraki tackled him and approached the court claiming that the land was duly allocated and a right of occupancy title issued on it.

However, court officials reportedly said the only document the Sarakis filed through their firm — Asa Investment Limited— to prove their case “is a mere letter of allocation in principle without attaching any right of occupancy or certificate of occupancy documents” .

The government had also insisted that the said allocation letter contained conditions that the firm never met until the expiration of the 90 days moratorium given to it as far back as June 2005.

Ayodeji Ibrahim, counsel to the firm, in a letter dated January 20 and addressed to the Salman Jawondo, commissioner for justice and attorney general of the state, said the applicants were now willing to settle the matter out of court in line with the presiding judge’s advice.

Ibrahim urged the commissioner to use his “good office” as the chief law officer of the state to make the necessary arrangements as to time and venue where parties can meet and discuss.

“While trusting that our request herein would be treated with the needed swift attention it deserves, kindly accept the assurances of our esteem regards,” the letter read.