By Our Correspondent, Kaduna
Saturday, August 1, 2026
A major community organization in Kaduna State has issued an urgent call for government intervention, alleging that strategic public assets in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area are being systematically transferred into private hands through questionable administrative processes.
The Birnin Gwari Emirate Progressives Union (BEPU), in a communiqué issued after an emergency congress on Friday, demanded the immediate suspension of all ongoing transactions involving public institutions and government lands, the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry, and the prosecution of all persons found culpable.
The union, which represents communities across the emirate, expressed grave concern over what it described as a “disturbing pattern” of asset disposal affecting multiple public institutions, including the Birnin Gwari Public Library, Jibril Mai Gwari I Memorial Hospital, the Stadium, Sports Council facilities, Police Quarters, Veterinary Clinic, Fire Service lands, Government Staff Quarters and the Post Office.
Collective inheritance under threat
Professor Lawal Khalid, Chairman of the union’s Board of Trustees, told a news conference in Kaduna that the affected institutions were “neither abandoned nor surplus properties” but were deliberately established to serve the educational, healthcare, security and economic needs of a growing population.
“These institutions constitute part of the common heritage of the people of Birnin Gwari,” Professor Khalid said. “They cannot lawfully become private estates through questionable administrative processes or any arrangement that undermines the public interest.”
The communiqué alleged that certain individuals, acting without the mandate of the people and allegedly in collaboration with some public officials, procured purported approvals which were subsequently relied upon to transfer public institutions into private ownership.
No individual speaks for Birnin Gwari
The union declared that no individual possesses the moral authority to “negotiate away the common heritage of an entire community” and dissociated the people of Birnin Gwari from every transaction that may have been undertaken without transparency and compliance with the law.
Dr. Isah Muhammad, Chairman of BEPU, said the people were never consulted about the disposal of these strategic institutions, adding that traditional institutions, community organizations and professional bodies were not publicly engaged.
“The people of Birnin Gwari reject every attempt by any individual or group to appropriate the collective inheritance of the emirate without the knowledge, participation or consent of the people,” he said.
Call to Governor Uba Sani
The union specifically called upon Governor Senator Uba Sani to establish an independent Judicial Commission of Inquiry headed by a serving or retired judge of unquestionable integrity to examine every transaction relating to the disposal of public assets in Birnin Gwari.
The proceedings of the commission should be open and transparent, and its report should be published in full, the union demanded.
Other resolutions included the immediate publication of all approvals, allocation letters, Certificates of Occupancy and survey plans relating to affected properties, and the prosecution of every public officer, intermediary or private individual found to have participated in unlawful asset disposals.
The union also urged the Kaduna State House of Assembly to exercise its constitutional oversight powers by conducting a public hearing into the management and disposal of public assets within the local government area.
Public institutions are not commodities
In a strongly-worded declaration, the union warned that “public institutions are not commodities, they are not rewards for political loyalty, they are not personal estates — they belong to the people.”
Engineer Muhammad Jamil Abdulhamid, Secretary-General of BEPU, said the union remains committed to constructive dialogue but warned that silence in the face of serious concerns regarding public assets would amount to a failure of its responsibility to the people.
“If no satisfactory action is taken within a reasonable time,” he stated, “we are mandated to pursue every lawful constitutional remedy available to protect the public interest, including legal proceedings before courts of competent jurisdiction.”
The union emphasized that its campaign is “not a political campaign, is not directed against any political party” but rather a constitutional demand for transparency, accountability and responsible governance.
Concern for future generations
The communiqué noted that most affected institutions were provided with extensive surrounding land for future expansion by previous administrations, including land reserved for additional hospital wards, classrooms, laboratories, and operational space for security and emergency services.
Post Comment