A High Court sitting in Kano has issued an interim injunction restraining key government authorities and a private firm from undertaking any activity on a disputed parcel of land belonging to Federal Government College, Kano.
The order, delivered by Hon. Justice Yusuf Ubale Muhammad followed an ex parte motion filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the Federal Government College (FGC) Kano Old Students Association against multiple defendants, including the Minister of Education, Ministry of Land and Physical Planning Kano State, Kano State Urban Development Authority, and Pluck Global Company Ltd.
The court document for Suit No. K/323/2026 shows that the application was supported by a 34-paragraph affidavit sworn by Aminu Haruna Maipanpo, the National Publicity Secretary of the applicant, along with exhibits and a written address dated April 8, 2026.
After reviewing the Motion Exparte filed on April 8, 2026, and hearing Abdussalam Muhammad Sale and S.A. Salihu, who appeared for the applicant, the court granted the reliefs sought.
The court ruled that “an order of Interim Injunction is hereby granted restraining the Defendants/Respondents… from constructing, building, surveying or in any way dealing with the vast 30 hectares of land, located along Zaria Road, Kano State belonging to the Federal Government College, Kano… pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
It further directed that “the parties herein shall maintain the status quo… to the extent that the Defendants shall not commence any construction activity” until the matter is determined.
In addition, the court granted leave for service of court processes on the first defendant outside its jurisdiction in Abuja, noting that “DHL is hereby appointed as the special Bailiff… and such service is deemed as good and proper service.”
The case has been adjourned to May 14, 2026, for further mention.
Reacting to the development, the Federal Government College (FGC) Kano Old Students Association confirmed that it “has obtained an interim injunction restraining all parties from further acts of encroachment or dealings in respect of the College’s land, purportedly arising from a questionable Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.”
The group described the order as one that “preserves the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit” and “represents a significant legal safeguard in our collective effort to protect the College’s assets.”
Reaffirming its stance, the association added that the ruling “reaffirms the Association’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the integrity, heritage, and continuity of the institution.”
It also commended its members for their support, stating: “We commend and sincerely appreciate the unwavering commitment and solidarity demonstrated by our members… We urge all stakeholders to remain resolute and steadfast in sustaining this collective effort towards resisting this manifest injustice through all lawful means.”
Background
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Federal Ministry of Education was facing mounting scrutiny over its role in a controversial ₦36.26 billion Public Private Partnership (PPP) land-swap deal at Federal Government College Kano, amid allegations of a secretive process and political influence involving allies of Abba Kabir Yusuf.
The deal, which involves approximately 30 hectares of land within the federal unity college, has been described by stakeholders as a “backdoor concession” of public educational property for private commercial use.
At the centre of the controversy is Pluck Global Company Limited, the private firm awarded the contract. The company, registered in 2017 and based on Beirut Road in Kano, is co-owned by Mussadiq Ado Bala, also known as Mussadiq Talle, a close associate of the Kano State governor.
In 2025, Bala was appointed into a 17-member strategic committee tasked with developing Kano State’s Five-Year Multi-Sectoral Investment Strategic Plan (2025–2029). The committee’s mandate includes designing policies to attract local and foreign investments, an overlap that has triggered concerns about conflict of interest and political influence.
The Federal Government College Kano Old Students Association, in a petition to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alleged that the Ministry failed to follow due process, insisting that the concession was neither publicly advertised nor subjected to stakeholder consultation.
In the petition titled “Notice of formal objection to the Public Private Partnership land-swap deal & proposed groundbreaking ceremony within Federal Government College Kano on grounds of lack of transparency and stakeholder exclusion,” the association stated that it “write[s]… to formally register our strong protest against the decision… to excise and concession portions of land… under a so-called Public Private Partnership Land-Swap Deal.”
It added that “at no time was the proposed concession publicly advertised or made available in the public domain,” while stressing that “key stakeholders, including FGCKOSA… were neither consulted nor carried along in the process.”
FGCKOSA President Shoyinka Shodunke said the association was completely sidelined despite decades of contributions to the school’s development. He noted that alumni had invested billions of naira in infrastructure and academic support without claiming ownership of any land.
The association insists the land earmarked for the project is not idle, but a critical part of the school’s structure, including sports fields and open areas reserved for future expansion.
It warned that the development could shrink the institution’s space and undermine long-term growth.