FGCKOSA drags FG, others to Court over alleged conversion of FGC Kano land to private estate

The Federal Government College Kano Old Students Association (FGCKOSA) has instituted a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja challenging what it described as the unlawful conversion of land belonging to Federal Government College (FGC), Kano, into a private residential estate under a purported Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

The case, which has been assigned to Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, is scheduled for its first hearing on July 8, 2026.

Named as defendants in the suit are the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, the Minister of Education, Pluck Global Company Limited, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

FGCKOSA said the Attorney-General was deliberately joined in the suit because the matter raises fundamental questions regarding the legality of government actions, the authority of federal ministries over public assets, the validity of a concession affecting a Federal Government-owned educational institution, and the protection of public property held in trust for educational purposes.

According to the association, the suit seeks judicial determination of whether land belonging to a Federal Government school can legally be converted into private property and transferred to a private developer under the guise of a PPP or concession arrangement.

The association said it is also seeking clarification on the powers of the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the ICRC and Pluck Global Company Limited in relation to the disputed land.

FGCKOSA stated that legal action became necessary after repeated requests for transparency allegedly failed to yield results. It said letters were sent to the Federal Ministry of Education requesting clarification and copies of the concession documents, while separate requests were made to the ICRC for the PPP agreement and related approvals.

According to the association, the ICRC confirmed that the transaction was undertaken by the Ministry of Education as the contracting authority and referred requests back to the ministry. However, FGCKOSA claimed that key documents, including the concession agreement, approval process, valuation basis, procurement records, FEC approvals and legal authorisations, have yet to be publicly disclosed.

The association also expressed concern over reports that individuals connected to the project allegedly entered the school premises and marked portions of the disputed land despite the existence of a subsisting court order in Kano restraining further action on the property.

FGCKOSA further alleged that efforts were being made to relocate or recreate school facilities outside the concessioned area, a development it said has heightened public concerns about the future of the institution.

According to the association, approximately 30 hectares of land designated for educational purposes, security, recreation, expansion and long-term institutional development are at risk of being converted for private residential and commercial use.

While emphasising that it is not opposed to genuine development, FGCKOSA said it rejects what it described as the secretive disposal of public educational assets without adequate consultation or transparency.

The association noted that it has proposed an alternative alumni-led redevelopment initiative aimed at rebuilding the school, improving infrastructure, attracting grants and corporate support, strengthening academic standards and preserving the institution’s land for educational use.

Among the reliefs sought before the court are a declaration that FGC Kano land cannot be converted into private property for a private developer under a PPP arrangement; an order nullifying any concession, lease, sale, transfer or land-swap arrangement deemed inconsistent with the law; and a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from selling, allocating, developing or otherwise interfering with the disputed land.

FGCKOSA is also seeking full accountability from all public institutions involved in the conception, approval and attempted implementation of the transaction, as well as judicial clarification on whether any ministry, agency or private company can lawfully treat Federal Government school land as disposable real estate without proper approvals and regard for the public purpose for which it exists.

The association maintained that the case extends beyond FGC Kano and raises broader concerns about the protection of public educational assets across Nigeria.

It called on the Ministry of Education, the ICRC, Pluck Global Company Limited and all parties connected to the project to suspend all activities on the disputed land pending the determination of the case.

FGCKOSA also urged the Attorney-General of the Federation to take a clear position in defence of the rule of law, public interest and the preservation of Federal Government educational institutions.

The association reaffirmed its commitment to protecting public education and ensuring that Federal Government College Kano remains preserved for current and future generations.