TheCable

Suleiman Hunkuyi, lawmaker representing Kaduna north senatorial district, has filed a defamation suit against the administration of Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state.

He is demanding N10 billion for the demolition of his house located at 11B Sambo road in Kaduna.

The house was used as the head office of a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Hunkuyi, who filed the suit through Yusuf Dankofa, a lawyer, prayed the court to, among other things, declare that the action of the respondents in “arrogating to themselves the power to punitively” sanction him and his company, Muna Investment Limited, was illegal.

He said the action of the respondents constitute a gross violation of his fundamental human rights as guaranteed under section 43 (1) and 46 (1) of the constitution of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and therefore illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

Among his prayer are “A declaration that the purported takeover of the said property on the basis of purported non-payment of ground rent/land use charge or for any other reason is wrong, illegal and unconstitutional.

“An order mandating the respondents to pay him the respondents the sum of N10 billion being aggravated, punitive and general damages jointly and severally for the violation of his fundamental human right.”

After demolishing his house, the government revoked the ownership of the property and re-allocated it to the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KASUPDA) for the construction of amusement park.

Hunkuyi had earlier filed another suit at the state high court to restrain the Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS) from taking any action on his residence at 18A, Inuwa Wada street, Angwan Rimi GRA.

KADGIS had issued a 30-day ultimatum to the senator, demanding the payment of N31.4 million said to be “accumulated ground rents for 24 years”.