2027: ADC campaign office sealed by Sokoto govt

The Sokoto State Government has sealed a campaign office of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), claiming that the property belongs to Savannah Bank and remains under the custody of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).

The state Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Nasiru Dantsoho, announced the decision on Monday after leading government officials to the premises.

He said the action followed a recent clash involving supporters of different political parties, which prompted the government to investigate the ownership of the building.

Speaking in a video seen by TheCable, Dantsoho said the government reviewed the certificate of occupancy and other relevant property documents, which indicated that Savannah Bank owned the building.

“The purpose is simply to inform the general public that there is a government in town and that it has to be respected,” he said.

He added, “Last week, there was some misunderstanding between some party supporters and others, and there was a report that some miscreants came here and disrupted the activities of another party.”

According to the commissioner, the government had written to the NDIC, which he described as the custodian of the property, to establish who currently had legal custody of the building.

“As of today, the records have not changed. On that basis, we have written to the NDIC, which is the custodian of this building, to establish who currently has custody of it,” he said.

Dantsoho said the government was yet to receive a response from the corporation but had decided to seal the premises pending clarification.

“We are yet to receive a reply and are waiting for further direction from them.

“In the meantime, to preserve and protect lives, maintain order and safeguard property, this place is hereby sealed until further notice and pending a response from the NDIC,” he said.

He urged anyone claiming ownership of the building to present relevant documents for verification, insisting that the property would remain under the control of the state government in the meantime.

The commissioner also warned that anyone who attempted to enter the premises without authorisation would face appropriate sanctions, including prosecution.

The ADC had yet to issue an official response to the development as of the time of filing this report.

The sealing reportedly followed allegations of attacks involving ADC supporters and operatives of the state-owned security outfit.