A constituency borehole project facilitated by Senator Saliu Mustapha of Kwara Central has been installed inside the fenced residential compound of his political aide in Ilorin, Kwara State, raising questions over the location, accessibility and management of a project intended to serve residents of the community.
SaharaReporters’ investigation found that the solar-powered motorised borehole located on Zul-Qarnain Street, Camics Estate, Sobi, Ilorin East Local Government Area, is situated within the private premises of Mrs Khadijah Eyitanwa Lawal, who serves as Mustapha’s Media Assistant on Broadcast Media.
SaharaReporters visited the location on Wednesday and confirmed that the main borehole infrastructure is inside the gated compound.
The project, facilitated as a constituency intervention by Mustapha, has generated controversy among residents, particularly over why a public water project meant to benefit members of the community was located inside the residence of a serving political aide to the senator.
Residents who spoke to SaharaReporters expressed concern that locating the facility inside a private compound could give the aide undue control or influence over a project intended for the wider community.
Some residents also alleged that attempts were made to persuade individuals within the community to remain silent about the location of the project.
The controversy is further complicated by the identity of the company involved in the project.
Documents and information reviewed by SaharaReporters indicate that the contract was awarded to Marham Nig Ltd., a company incorporated in Ilorin on May 24, 2005, with registration number 624724 and a registered office at 53 Abdul Rasaq Dare Crescent, Geri Alimi Area, Ilorin, Kwara State.
The company has been linked to individuals associated with the political network of former Kwara State Governor and former Senate President Bukola Saraki.
Akeem Dare, whose name has been associated with the company’s ownership structure, is the son of Alhaji Hamidu Dare, a former Permanent Secretary in Kwara State who served as Permanent Secretary in the state’s Ministry of Finance during Saraki’s tenure as governor between 2003 and 2011.
Akeem Dare was also publicly associated with Saraki’s political structure.
In a statement in 2017, after moving from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into Saraki’s then faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dare declared: “I am so happy that you receive me back, it has been a fruitless journey in PDP… Alhamdulillahi!… I will be a loyal disciple henceforth.”
The development provides a political dimension to the controversy surrounding the award of the water project, particularly as Mustapha has in recent political developments been moving closer to Saraki’s political camp after facing difficulties over his bid to secure a return to the Senate.
Borehole Inside Private Compound
Residents who spoke to SaharaReporters questioned why a constituency project meant to provide water for the wider community was put inside the private residence of an individual closely associated with the senator.
One resident said, “The question we are asking is simple: if this is a constituency project meant for the people, why is the main facility inside the private compound of the senator’s aide? A public project should be placed where everybody can have equal and unrestricted access to it, not inside somebody’s house.”
Another resident said the location has created the impression that the project is being treated as a personal facility rather than a community intervention.
“The problem is not that we do not appreciate the water project. We appreciate anything that will benefit the community. But putting the borehole inside the compound of the senator’s aide creates a serious concern about who really controls the project and who will continue to have access to it in the future,” the resident said.
The resident added: “If the project belongs to the community, then it should be on community land. Once you put the major infrastructure inside a private compound, you have already created a situation where one person can determine who gets access and when.”
Another resident noted that the decision has, in effect, diverted the project away from its broader purpose for the community.
“From what we have seen, the project has been diverted from what it was supposed to be. It was supposed to serve the community, but the way it was sited makes it look more like a project for the aide. That is why people are asking questions,” the resident said.
The residents also alleged that attempts were made to persuade some people in the community to remain silent over the location of the project.
One resident said: “Some people were approached and encouraged not to talk about the matter. But this is public infrastructure, and nobody should be intimidated or persuaded to keep quiet when there are legitimate questions about how a community project was executed.”
Community leaders, however, have defended the location, insisting that although the main borehole is inside the private premises, the public fetching point is outside the property and accessible to residents.
In a statement titled “Clarification on Senator Saliu Mustapha’s Borehole Project at Zul-Qarnain Street, Sobi,” the Chairman of Zul-Qarnain Street, Sobi, Alhaji Bashir Mayaki, said the project followed a request from the community.
According to Mayaki, a hydrogeological survey was conducted before drilling began, and the initial proposed location was found unsuitable because it could not produce sufficient water.
He said only two nearby locations were found to have adequate groundwater, with both situated on private premises.
Mayaki said the community subsequently approached the owner of one of the properties and, following consultations, the owner agreed to allow the borehole to be installed there.
He stated: “Following consultations and several appeals by members of the community, the said aide graciously agreed that the borehole installation could be accommodated within the premises for the benefit of everyone.”
The community chairman further said the actual point where residents collect water is outside the private property.
He said: “While the main borehole and stanchion is situated within the premises, the public fetching point is outside the property and freely accessible to members of the community.”
Mayaki also rejected claims that the project had been converted into a private facility.
He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the borehole belongs to the community. The public fetching point is under the control of the community and has remained available to residents since the project became operational.”
He urged critics to visit the location and inspect the facility themselves.
“We invite anyone genuinely interested in establishing the facts to visit our community and see the facility, its public fetching point and how residents access the water,” he said.
The chairman described the controversy as politically motivated and urged residents to appreciate the senator for facilitating the project.
Questions Over Contract Award
Beyond the location of the borehole, the project raises questions about the procurement process, the contract value and the relationship between the contractor and political actors connected to the project.
Marham Nig Ltd. was incorporated in Ilorin in 2005, according to corporate information reviewed by SaharaReporters.
The company’s reported connection to the Dare family and the family’s long-standing association with Saraki’s political structure raises questions about how the contractor was selected and whether other companies were considered for the project.