The demolition of Crystal Mall, owned by All Progressives Congress chieftain and Wakilin of Ilorin, Hon. Mashood Mustapha, has taken a dramatic turn in Kwara State.
Mustapha’s brother, Bar. Akeem Usman Mustapha, SAN, has resigned as Chairman of the State Education Trust Fund, suspected to be over a political disagreement between Mustapha and Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq. This disagreement stems from a failed contract for the renovation of Kwara Hotel.
The dispute began when the contract, initially awarded to Mustapha’s company, Crystal Group, was revoked and reassigned to Craneburg Construction Company for ₦17.8 billion.
Tensions escalated in May when the government demolished the mall’s fence and adjoining shops, citing encroachment on the setback of the state’s secretariat complex. Mustapha denied the allegations, claiming the action was politically motivated.
On October 7, shop occupants were given a three-hour notice to vacate the complex before its complete demolition.
The government alleged the structure deviated from approved plans, intended for a car park for state civil servants and pensioners.
Usman Mustapha’s resignation, effective October 7, did not explicitly state any reason for the action but it is likely linked to the ongoing conflict between his brother and the governor.
It was earlier reported that the state government had ordered the immediate demolition of the complex.
Meanwhile, the governor issued a notice allowing just three hours for all occupants to vacate the premises.
It was gathered that the operatives from the Nigeria Police Force were deployed to the site to ensure the building was effectively barricaded during the demolition, which commenced around 7 p.m. on Sunday.
In May 2024, the Kwara State government, in a statement through the Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, refuted reports claiming there were plans to demolish a building belonging to Mustapha on Ahmadu Bello Way.
Ajakaye clarified that the ongoing marking of structures along the road is standard practice to ensure adherence to building setbacks.
Ajakaye said that lines marked in red in the drawing showed the land area occupied by the building owned by Mustapha.
He said, “Anything outside of that red line is outside of the C of O approved for the structure. Everything to the right of the red line is the government setback. That is where the fence and the kiosks are. It is what has been marked to give way for the road project. And this affects everyone else whose structure encroaches the setbacks.”
The statement emphasized that following setback regulations is vital for the project’s success and applies equally to all property owners. It urged the public to be wary of misinformation and avoid actions that could disrupt the peaceful development of the state.
In response to the demolition of the building, Mustapha stated that the governor sent his aides to his shopping complex to give all his tenants just three hours’ notice, despite having valid documents.
Mustapha further claimed that Governor AbdulRazaq threatened to demolish his complex solely over a political disagreement.
Mustapha accused Governor AbdulRazaq accused of acting irrationally.
He said, “He threatened to demolish my company complex simply because of a political disagreement. He has completely lost touch in Kwara, as he has been running a one-man show in the state’s politics.
“Those of us who were part of the APC know that he came into power two weeks before the primaries that we contested together.”
He alleged that AbdulRazaq became governor through backdoor means, and while they accepted it, they soon realized he was not carrying anyone along.
