Crisis Brews In Mararaba Gassol Over Alleged Sale Of Motor Park

There is serious tension in Mararaban Gassol community over alleged sales of Motor Park by the Chairman of Gassol Local Government, Alhaji Abubakar Saidu

 

It was gathered that residents of Mararaba Gassol were seen running helter scalter scampering for safety on last Wednesday evening when shop owners in the said Motor Park declared war and vowed to resist any attempt to chase them away from the Motor park.

 

According to sources, the Chairman of the council, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq had allegedly sold the Motor park to one Alhaji Muntari Abubakar, the NURTW Chairman of Mararaba Gassol Chapter to be converted to personal use.

 

It was gathered that the situation became tensed when the Council chairman, through the Deputy Director, Town Planning. Nasiru Nagodi issued a quit notice dated September 8, 2025 to all shop owners and other people doing business in the Motor Park to vacate the facility within one week.

 

Some of the shop owners who spoke to our correspondent expressed bitterness and opposed the decision of the Chairman for selling the Motor park to a single individual at the detriment of the over 30 traders doing business in the Motor Park .

 

Alhaji Mustapha Ahmadu said he and other shop owners and traders have been doing their businesses in the Motor Park for over ten years and have been paying revenue to the local government, but wondered why the council chairman would sell the motor park to an individual and issue them quit notice overnight

 

Another shop owner Alhaji Shuaibu Bello said he has been doing business in the Motor Park for several years now " This is where many of us survive with our families so it is very unfair for the Chairman to sell the Motor park and deprive many of us of our means of livelyhood.

 

Mallam Isa Manu Petel also condemned the alleged sale of the Motor park by the Chairman. He called on the State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas to stop the Chairman of Gassol, Alhaji Abubakar Saidu from selling the Motor park as the action of the Chairman was capable of igniting crises in the area.

 

"We are told that the Governor during a recent meeting with traditional rulers and Council Chairmen warned them to stop the sales of land in their domain and local government, I am surprised that the Gassol Chairman disobeyed the Governor by selling our Motor Park to an individual.

 

"We are ready to challenge the sales of the Motor park by the Chairman in Court if efforts by the Governor and security agencies to stop the Chairman failed," he said.

 

 

Most of the occupants of the motor park called on Gov Agbu Kefas to stop both the Chairman and Alhaji Muntari Abubakar from selling the land as well as any other planned development by Alhaji Muntari Abubakar.

 

They added that the decision of the chairman, if not stopped, would truncate their source of livelyhood and threatened to resist any attempt by the chairman to sale the land to an individual.

 

When contacted, the chairman. Alhaji Abubakar Saidu confirmed that the said land belong to the local government and was temporarily allocated to be used as a motor park but was not to be seen as a permanent development.

 

He further explained that Muntari Abubakar was granted approval to develop shops which was under a memorandum of understanding for partnership with the local government and not outright selling of the land.

 

'"Alhaji Muntari Abubakar has written officially to the local government indicating his interest to invest in the motor park by developing shops.

 

"This is what is obtainable all over the world and why should Gassol be an exception when private individuals would indicate their interest to invest and some people expect us to turn down such requests, it's not possible with me as the chairman of Gassol, he added.

 

Speaking the buyer, Alhaji Muntari Abubakar, said that he has acquired the land and have relocated those who were doing other businesses elsewhere.

 

He said that he planned to build a mini shopping plaza and other shops as part of his own investment.