By Samaila Bayo, Birnin kebbi
The Kebbi State Government has threatened to take necessary legal action against the African Democratic Congress (ADC) if it fails to retract its statements and publicly clarify the circumstances surrounding the demolition of the property purportedly owned by the gubernatorial candidate of the party, Abubakar Malami.
While addressing journalists on the matter in Birnin kebbi, the State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Yakubu Ahmed-BK warned that failure to comply would leave the government with no alternative but to seek appropriate legal redress against those responsible for the allegations, in order to protect government reputation, institutional integrity and the dignity of the state.
While dismissing government involvement in the demolition of the property around Malami's Azbir Hotel, along Sani Abacha Bypass, Birnin Kebbi, he described the ADC's claims as false, misleading and politically motivated.
He accused the opposition party of resorting to unsubstantiated allegations, deliberate misinformation and distortion of facts in what he described as an attempt to discredit the Kebbi State Government and generate unnecessary public controversy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commissioner said the demolition incident was essentially a private land ownership dispute which had been mischievously presented by some ADC supporters on social media as an action carried out by the state government against Malami owned property.
He said the documentary evidence presented by Alhaji Umaru Mohammed Gulumbe, a businessman claiming ownership of the disputed property, established that the matter was a civil dispute between private individuals. Among the documents presented, according to the Commissioner, was a Certificate of Occupancy bearing the signature of former Governor Adamu Aliero.
"Gulumbe had formally reported the alleged trespass to the Police and petitioned the Ministry of Lands and Housing. The committee constituted to investigate the matter examined the competing claims and confirmed ownership of the disputed plot in favour of Gulumbe".
He challenged anyone disputing the ownership of the property to approach a competent court with relevant documents rather than resort to social media campaigns and political accusations.
"The Kebbi State Government neither initiated nor participated in the demolition, It has no involvement in the private dispute. It was a calculated effort to mislead the public and tarnish the government’s image", he said.
He expressed concern that despite the emergence of information clarifying the circumstances surrounding the incident, the ADC had not publicly retracted its allegations or offered an apology to the state government. He maintained that political differences should never become an excuse for manufacturing allegations or misleading the public on matters that can be established through lawful procedures.
The Commissioner also criticised what he described as the opposition party’s tendency to exploit sensitive public issues for political advantage, particularly in its attempts to gain political relevance ahead of the 2027 elections. He urged political actors to demonstrate responsibility and respect for established institutions rather than turn every public controversy into an opportunity for political attacks.
Recalling previous political controversies, the Commissioner alleged that on September 1, 2025, Abubakar Malami arrived in Birnin Kebbi with a convoy of supporters from Sokoto under the pretext of a condolence visit, an incident he said was followed by attacks on APC offices, vandalisation of vehicles and other acts of public disorder. He further alleged that subsequent investigations raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the incident and its political implications.
He also accused Malami of making exaggerated claims about casualties arising from security incidents in southern Kebbi State. Citing the June 2025 attack in Tadurga, Zuru Emirate, he recalled that Malami allegedly claimed that 200 people had been killed, whereas subsequent reports cited by the Commissioner indicated that the number of fatalities was fewer than 30. He questioned why neither Malami nor the ADC had publicly addressed the discrepancy or offered clarification over the figures circulated.
He called on the people of Kebbi State to resist the spread of unverified information and insist on evidence whenever serious allegations are made against public institutions or individuals.
