On 30 October 2026 a suspected agency of the Kebbi State Government demolished the headquarters of the Malami Pressure Group (MPG) in Birnin Kebbi, a day before the facility was due to be inaugurated. Mohammed Bello Doka, Special Assistant on Media to former Attorney‑General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN, condemned the action as an assault on democratic freedoms and the right to political association.
In a statement dated 1 November, Doka said the property belonged to Malami, who had donated it to the MPG – an All Progressives Congress‑affiliated youth support organisation – to serve as its headquarters ahead of the 2027 general elections. He alleged the demolition was carried out without prior communication, formal notice, warning, or any court order, and demanded to know which government agency was responsible and what legal authority authorised the operation.
Doka invoked the 1999 Constitution, noting that Sections 39 and 40 protect freedom of expression and association, while Sections 43 and 44 guarantee property ownership and protection against compulsory acquisition except in accordance with law. He acknowledged that authorities may enforce planning regulations, but stressed that such powers must be exercised transparently and with due process.
He also used the incident to draw attention to broader governance challenges in Kebbi, citing several official and investigative reports:
- National Bureau of Statistics’ 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index: 82.2 % poverty incidence in Kebbi versus a 63 % national average.
- More than 95 % of children under five in the state were multidimensionally poor, roughly 820,000 children.
- Premium Times investigation (23 January 2026): 608 severely malnourished children died between January and September 2025 across 21 treatment centres.
- Cadre Harmonisé food‑security assessment (October 2026): 969,245 people projected to face crisis‑level food insecurity Oct‑Dec 2026, rising to 1,196,830 in the June‑Aug 2027 lean season.
- European Union Agency for Asylum assessment (January 2026): 70 security incidents and 156 fatalities in Kebbi from Jan 2024 to Aug 2025; attacks in Besse and Shanga LGAs in October 2026 left 10‑12 dead.
Doka called on the Kebbi State Government to identify the agency behind the demolition, disclose any legal notices or court orders, and make related documents publicly available. He urged the Nigeria Police Force, the National Human Rights Commission and other relevant bodies to investigate any complaints and protect the rights of those affected, emphasizing that the issue concerns the constitutional rights of all Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliation, and that peaceful political mobilisation should not be treated as a threat to government authority.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
