Trustees raise alarm over alleged move by Ganduje to convert Kano Club to shopping malls

By Muhammed Yakubu On Mar 15, 2023

Kano Golf Club, Kano , Bureau of Land Management, — Kano Golf Club

…Kano Govt denies allegation

The Incorporated Trustees of Kano Club has raised alarm over move by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje led Kano State Government to take over the lands housing the golf course of the club of over 100 years.

SOLACEBASE reports that the club said with the Certificate of Occupancy No. LKN/COM/RC/82/268 issued it by the state government granted on 6th April 1979 is for a period of 99 (Ninety Nine) years and as such the title has not expired

Addressing a news conference in Kano on Wednesday, an executive member of the Kano Club Golf , Malam Ahmed Tanko said the Trustees of the Club was surprised when they received a letter from the State government saying that the land title of Kano Club expired in 2019.

Tanko said, ‘’ On the 13th day of March, 2023 we received a letter from the Kano State Bureau for Land Management allegedly notifying the club that the title of its land with Certificate of Occupancy No. LKN/COM/RC/82/268 has expired with effect from 6th April 2019 having been issued on 6th April 1979 for a term of Forty years. The Bureau equally attached a purported demand notice for the payment of Land Use Charge from 1999 to date totalling to the sum of N263,719,839.78 for the land in question housing the Kano Golf Course.

‘’We wish to bring to the attention of the public and the Executive Governor of Kano State that this position is not correct because the land belonging to Kano Club with Certificate of Occupancy No. LKN/COM/RC/82/268 was granted 6th April 1979 for a period of 99 (Ninety Nine) years and as such the title has not expired. The evidence of this can be seen on the face of the Certificate of Occupancy.’’

According to him, on the payment of land use charge and arrears of ground rent from 1999 to 2023 we wish to state emphatically that the Club has been up to date in the payment of its ground rent and land use charge from 1999 to date. This can also be verified from the previous demand notices and payment receipts issued to the club from 1999 to date. Suffice to state that Kano Club Golf Course is a recreational ground and not a commercial premises and as such is not expected to pay exorbitant ground rent and land use charge. The evidence of this can also be verified from the Certificate of Occupancy which states in unequivocal terms that the land granted to Kano Club is for Recreational purposes.

Kano Club Golf Course

Ahmed Tanko said that the club was hinted that the Kano State Bureau for land management is in discussion with some developers attempting to illegally give out the land for the purposes of constructing shopping malls and hotel when the title of Kano Club over the land is still valid and subsisting.

He accused the state government of move to take over the Kano Club three years ago but the attempt failed and it is now repeating itself.

‘’The Kano Club golf course has a long history and it is the only long standing and standard golf course in the entire northern Nigeria. The Kano Golf course is the oldest golf course in West Africa established in1903 where the first aircraft in Nigeria landed on 1st November 1925. The golf course is presently home to the only serene and green environment in Kano State for recreational activities, which can also be utilised in times of emergencies. The course also hosts several tournaments both locally and internationally and the Kano State Government has benefited pro bono from the facilities and services of the course.

‘’We wish to bring to the attention of the public and the Executive Governor of Kano State of the illegal act of the Kano State Bureau for Land Management in their attempt grant the land belonging to Kano Club to another company despite the subsistence and validity of our title over the land.’’

However, reacting to the development, Kano State Government through the Bureau of Land Management denied the allegation of move to revoke the land title

A statement titled, *”Kano State Government did not revoke Kano Club tifle.”* and issued by Murtala Shehu Umar, Information Office, Kano State Bureau for Land Management said the Buraeu did not revoke any title for Kano Club land.

The statement said, ‘’a letter of notification of expiration of term of grant was served on the title holder in accordance with the Land Use Act (1978) which specified terms and conditions governing land allocation which provides a term of 40 years for commercial title and 99 years for residential title.

In line with the provisions of act, the title of Kano Club having been issued on 6, April 1979 has expired on 6, April 2019 since about four years ago.