Victims of the Kano State government’s demolition spree have taken to the streets to condemn what they described as destructive behaviour.
Protesters gathered on Monday morning in front of the demolished multi-million Naira Daula Hotel on Hadejia Road in the capital, carrying placards with various inscriptions condemning government policy.
Placards read, among other things, “Do the right thing, Abba Kabir Yusuf,” “Do not drive away investors from Kano,” and “Billions of naira in property demolished because of envy.”
Addressing reporters at the protest, the organisers, led by Zahraddee Baba, Director, Research and Development Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiative, said it is unfortunate that property worth N226 billion has been destroyed within three weeks of the new government taking office.
The group also demanded that the government compensate the victims whose homes were demolished.
“We, the people of Kano State, unanimously voted for Governor Abba Yusuf to bring development to the state.
“It was believed that the governor is the messiah of the time, who shall continue with the people’s oriented programmes of his predecessor to salvage the people of Kano State.
“It is unfortunate that within six days in office, the perceived messiah became a source of sorrow to many residents and indigenes of Kano State, who acquired land from the previous administration of Abdullahi Ganduje when he ordered the demolition of properties worth over N226 billion within three weeks in office.
“Let it be on record that six days in office is insignificant for a people-oriented government to order demolition of properties because the time allowed by law for such notice was not followed.
“It is our belief that Governor Yusuf is using people’s hard-earned investment to settle political scores with the previous administration, which is a bad development.
“We expect to know that once you emerge as governor, you become a governor for all and not that of the NNPP alone.
“The Land Use Act specified that individuals do not own land as all lands belong to the Government. It is true that government is also a continuous process where successors inherit assets and liabilities.
“We had earlier last week urged Governor Abba Yusuf to stop further demolition and call all the affected persons to a roundtable in view of compensating them over the illegal demolition of their property.
“Today, we are here because the government has marked more buildings for further demolition, even though it has partially complied with the ultimatum handed over to him by this organisation, the Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiatives, to stop further demolition of the property of Kano people,” the protest leader appeals.
