A former director-general of the Kogi State Bureau of Lands, Abdulmalik Teina, has petitioned the Senate over the demolition of property linked to his family in Okene.
He alleged that the action was politically motivated and carried out without due process.
The petition was submitted to the Senate through Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District.
The petition seeks the intervention of the National Assembly in what the petitioners described as an unlawful demolition carried out by the Kogi State government.
Femi Motojesi, an Abuja-based lawyer, authored the petition on behalf of Zainab Abdulmalik, wife of Teina.
The petition challenged the state government’s claim that the demolished property was being used to harbour members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
According to the petition, the affected property is located in the Idoji area of Okene local government area and was lawfully acquired through government allocations and subsequent transfers backed by valid documentation.
The petitioners said the facilities were occupied by members of MASWAJ, an Islamic educational and religious organisation operating across Kogi Central Senatorial District.
“The property is being occupied and utilised by known Islamic scholars for Islamic activities known as MASWAJ,” the petition read.
The petition alleged that the demolition, carried out on January 15, 2026, was connected to political differences between Teina and the administration of Ahmed Usman Ododo, Governor of Kogi State.
“It is the fallout of these differences that resulted in the political vendetta prompting the State Government to label the property legitimately acquired by our client as one harbouring and camping so-called ISWAP militants,” the petition reads.
The petitioners said Teina, a former adviser and Director-General of the State Bureau of Lands, fell out with the governor over political and social disagreements within the state.
The petition further alleged that Teina was abducted from his residence in Abuja and held for several days, adding that the matter is the subject of ongoing litigation before a Kogi State High Court.
The petition questioned the basis for the demolition and argued that no notice was served on the property owner before the structures were pulled down.
“The question that readily comes to mind is when and how these innocent scholars and Islamic teachers suddenly became ISWAP militants to warrant the destruction of our client’s property without any prior notice,” the petition reads.
The petition also said no evidence had been publicly presented linking the occupants of the property to terrorist activities.
According to the petition, Ododo hosted leaders of MASWAJ on December 28, 2025, and commended their activities.
“It is therefore surprising to see the same Governor leading the early morning invasion and demolition of our client’s property under the allegation that the property was housing ISWAP militants,” the lawyers said.
The petition urged the Senate to investigate the circumstances surrounding the demolition and determine whether due process was followed.
The petitioners also asked the Senate to establish whether the demolition was politically motivated.
