Hajia Zainab Abdulmalik has petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) over the demolition of her properties by the Kogi State Government, following claims that the buildings were used to harbor ISWAP militants in Kogi State.
In a petition through her lawyera, dated 19 January 2026, the legal firm Femi Motjesi & Co. described the allegation as false, spurious, and politically motivated, and urged the DSS to carry out a discreet and unbiased investigation into the incident.
The properties, located in Iduji, Okene Local Government Area, were said to have been lawfully acquired through valid allocation letters and later transferred to Abdulmalik via an irrevocable Power of Attorney in 2022.
According to the petition, Abdulmalik applied for the recertification of her Right of Occupancy in September 2024, paid all required fees, and obtained preliminary approvals, with the applications awaiting the governor’s assent.
The lawyers further alleged that the demolition followed a political fallout between the Kogi State Governor and the client’s husband, a former state appointee, insisting that the property was targeted as a result of political vendetta.
They maintained that the demolished property was being used as a Maswaj school for Islamic teaching, recognized by government authorities and Islamic leaders, and not a militant camp.
The petition questioned the absence of arrests or evidence linking the property to terrorism, noting that the buildings were demolished in the early hours of 15 January 2026 without prior notice.
The lawyers called on the DSS to intervene to determine the veracity of the ISWAP claim, the legality of the demolition, and whether the action was justified or politically driven.
