FGCKOSA Drags FG, Education Ministry, Others to Court Over Alleged FGC Kano Land-Swap Deal

The Federal Government College Kano Old Students Association (FGCKOSA) has filed a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja challenging a controversial Public-Private Partnership (PPP) land-swap arrangement involving Federal Government College (FGC) Kano.

The suit, 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 joined in the suit because the matter raises significant questions about the legality of government actions concerning public assets, the powers of federal ministries over public land, and the protection of property designated for educational purposes.

According to the association, the central issue before the court is whether land belonging to a Federal Government school and reserved for public educational use can legally be converted into private property and transferred to a private developer under the framework of a PPP or concession agreement.

The association is also seeking judicial clarification on the roles and 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 concerning the disputed land.

FGCKOSA said it resorted to legal action after repeated efforts to obtain details of the alleged concession arrangement failed. The association disclosed that it had written to the Ministry of Education requesting clarification and copies of relevant documents, while separate requests were also made to the ICRC for access to the PPP agreement and approval records.

According to FGCKOSA, the ICRC confirmed that the transaction was initiated by the Ministry of Education as the contracting authority and referred further inquiries back to the ministry. However, the association claims that critical documents, including the concession agreement, approval records, valuation reports, procurement details, FEC approvals, and legal basis for the land conversion, have not been made public.

The association also expressed concern over reports that activities linked to the project continued despite an existing court order in Kano restraining further action on the disputed land. It alleged that individuals connected to the project were seen entering the school premises and marking sections of the land, a move it described as an attempt to advance the project while legal proceedings remain pending.

FGCKOSA further criticised what it described as ongoing efforts to treat the transaction as irreversible, citing reports of plans to relocate or reconstruct school facilities outside the concessioned area.

The association argued that FGC Kano is an active educational institution whose land was originally designated for teaching, security, recreation, expansion, and future development. It warned that carving out approximately 30 hectares for private residential and commercial development could have long-term consequences for the school.

While stressing that it is not opposed to development, FGCKOSA maintained that any redevelopment initiative involving public school assets must be transparent and accountable.

The association revealed that it had already proposed an alternative alumni-led redevelopment plan aimed at improving infrastructure, attracting grants and corporate support, strengthening academic standards, and preserving the school’s land for educational purposes without disposing of any portion of it.

Among the reliefs sought before the court are a declaration that land belonging to FGC Kano cannot be converted into private property under the guise of a PPP arrangement; an order nullifying any concession, lease, sale, transfer, or land-swap agreement found to be unlawful; and a perpetual injunction restraining the Ministry of Education, Pluck Global Company Limited, and their agents 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 implementation of the project, as well as a definitive judicial pronouncement on the extent of government authority over Federal Government school land.

The association described the case as one that extends beyond FGC Kano, arguing that its outcome could have far-reaching implications for the protection of public educational assets across Nigeria.

FGCKOSA called on all parties involved in the transaction to suspend activities on the disputed land pending the court’s determination of the matter. It also urged the Attorney-General of the Federation to take a position in defence of the rule of law, public interest, and the preservation of educational infrastructure.

The statement was signed by Aminu Haruna Maipampo, National Publicity Secretary of FGCKOSA.