FGC Kaduna alumni kick over ‘plot’ by state to acquire school’s land

The Federal Government College (FGC) Kaduna has alleged plots by the state government to acquire parts of the school’s land “illegally.”

On April 17, the Kaduna state government, through its ministry of urban planning and development agency (KASUPDA), wrote a letter to the school’s principal.

In the letter, the agency informed the college of the state government’s plan to excise non-utilized land along the stretch of the River Kaduna over “security reasons”.

But at a briefing in Lagos on Sunday, the association condemned the move and described it as a violation of the federal land use act.

In a statement signed by Seyi Gambo, its president, the association said in 2015, the state government made a similar attempt to take over part of the school’s land.

The association said at the time, the federal ministry of education — which is in control of the school — rejected the move.

The alumni added that the state government made further attempts later in the same year but was again rebuffed by the ministry.

The old students accused the state government of hiding under “security reasons” this time around to achieve its long-held ambition.

“This is the same land they have been trying to acquiesce since 2015. The pretence that the land is being excised for security reasons falls short any truth whatsoever because immediately this letter was sent to the school;” the statement reads.

“Bulldozers have moved to the site, plans to build private homes have begun with drawing of allotted plots, and work is presently going on at that site 24 hours/7 days a week.

“The Kaduna state’s illegal acquisition smacks from the fact that the letter was not addressed to the federal ministry of education the owners of the school but rather to the principal who is just a staff of the ministry.

“This illegality is not only distasteful and pure wickedness on the part of leaders but is an agenda to obliterate the memories of the founding fathers of this country and the only institution which is the last bastion of molding Nigerians devoid of the things responsible for our arrested development as a nation”.

‘NOT ON OUR WATCH’

At the briefing, the old students vowed to resist an attempt by the state government to take over 45 meters of the college’s land.

“As former students of FGC Kaduna in Malali village, we are very concerned at the chicanery going on, emboldening a concern for good education yet behind the scenes, their senile acts leave bile in the mouth,” the statement added.

“The alumni association of this school,  are leaders of thought whose concerns for what is going on now is very grievous. It has angered us and we are going to fight this to the last until all lands belonging to our school is returned.

“Our meeting today with the press is to expose all these shenanigans by the Kaduna State government in the illegal excision of the land of our school.

“Their attempt to get the minister’s no objection to the excision of 45 meters of land was rebuffed by the FME (federal minister of education) in 2015. Their sudden forceful takeover in 2023 shows a high level of dishonesty.

“On behalf of the old Students association of the federal Government College Kaduna, we say, this will never be allowed to go. Not on our watch!”