Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has reinstated ownership of two properties previously revoked from the family of the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, during the administration of his predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai.
The properties, located at No. 9 Abakpa GRA and No. 1 Degel Road, Ungwan Rimi GRA, in Kaduna, had been seized in 2022 following allegations of breaches of occupancy terms under the Land Use Act.
Speaking on Tuesday, Abacha family lawyer, Reuben Atabo (SAN), confirmed the reinstatement, describing it as a significant development.
The revocation, which was widely publicised in newspapers on April 28, 2022, included the late Abacha’s name as item 34 among those affected.
Atabo said the move had caused “embarrassment” to the Abacha family, prompting legal action against the state government.
Governor Sani, however, reversed the revocation in two separate letters dated December 10, 2024, through the Kaduna Geographic Information Service.
Both letters, signed by Mustapha Haruna on behalf of the Director General of KADGIS, directed the family to settle outstanding fees and charges as a condition for reinstatement.
One of the letters reads: “His Excellency, the Governor of Kaduna State, has in the powers conferred on him under the Land Use Act 1978, reinstated the aforementioned title… Subject to strict condition of settling all outstanding fees and charges.”
The Abacha family, through Atabo, welcomed the decision, describing it as a gesture of fairness and justice.
The reinstatement marks a shift from El-Rufai’s administration, which had cited “various contraventions” as the basis for revoking the properties.
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