A storm of controversy has erupted over an alleged secret deal to transfer about 30 hectares of land belonging to Federal Government College Kano, with mounting accusations that officials of the Federal Ministry of Education worked with politically connected interests to push through the transaction.
The Federal Government College Kano Old Students Association has petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging immediate intervention to halt what it describes as a backdoor concession of federal educational land for private commercial use.
At the centre of the dispute is a Public Private Partnership land swap arrangement which, according to documents seen by stakeholders, has already been concluded by the Ministry. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for April 6, a development that has further fuelled suspicion over the speed and secrecy of the process.
Alumni say the deal was executed without transparency, without public advertisement, and without consultation with critical stakeholders, including the association itself.
They insist that the land in question is not idle property, but a core part of the school’s structure. It includes sports fields and open areas reserved for future expansion, assets they say are vital to the institution’s long term survival.
The controversy has taken a sharper turn following revelations about the private firm linked to the deal, Pluck Global Company Ltd.
The company, registered in 2017 and based on Beirut Road in Kano, is said to be co owned by Musaddiq Ado Bala Talle, a close associate of Kano State governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Talle is also a member of the 17 member Strategic Committee tasked with developing the state’s Five Year Multi Sectoral Investment Strategic Plan from 2025 to 2029, a connection that has raised questions about possible political influence in the transaction.
For many within the alumni body, that link is difficult to ignore.
FGCKOSA President Shoyinka Shodunke said the association was completely sidelined, despite decades of involvement in the school’s development. He noted that alumni have invested billions of naira over the years in infrastructure and academic support without laying claim to any portion of the school land.
He described the proposed concession as a direct threat to the legacy of unity schools, warning that it signals a shift from education driven priorities to profit driven interests.
Beyond ownership concerns, the association is also raising safety and planning issues.
It warned that introducing a mixed use estate in close proximity to the school could expose students to avoidable risks and disrupt the controlled environment required for learning.
The group has also questioned the logic behind the project, pointing out that Kano State has vast tracts of land suitable for real estate development.
“There is no justification for taking from an existing educational institution when alternatives clearly exist,” the association said in its petition.
FGCKOSA further argued that the arrangement offers no tangible benefit to the school and appears structured primarily for private commercial gain.
In a separate communication to the Ministry of Education, the association demanded full disclosure of any agreement with Pluck Global Company Ltd, including the terms and approval process.
It warned that if the deal is found to lack proper authorisation, it will pursue legal action and escalate the matter to anti corruption agencies.
The association has also issued a caution to the public, advising potential investors to avoid any land or property linked to the project, citing the risk of legal disputes and possible reversal.
As part of its counter move, FGCKOSA announced plans to launch a five billion naira development fund in June 2026 through its foundation, aimed at supporting infrastructure development without compromising the integrity of the school.
The alumni body has called on the President to immediately halt the planned groundbreaking and order a full review of the concession process.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the Federal Ministry of Education were unsuccessful as of press time.
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