Since the new administration of Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf took the reins in Kano, the State has been witnessing a revolution of some sort.
Critical among the events that have unfolded is the demolition of multi-billion naira structures built on public land at several locations within the metropolis.
Although part of the campaign promises of the NNPP-led government was to take decisive action against what it considered illegal structures built on public property, the residents had no hint of how quickly the Yusuf-led administration would actualise the promise.
But in quick succession, Governor Yusuf began the demolition exercise of illegal structures three days after taking the oath of office at a newly constructed 90-shop complex along Race Course road in Nasarawa Local Council.
The multi-million naira complex that was brought down by bulldozers is allegedly owned by the family of the immediate past Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. Yet, the former governor is yet to debunk the claim.
The demolition train relocated to another multiple story-building sited at the former famous Daula Hostel along Murtala Muhammed Way. In less than 24 hours, the complex, also allegedly owned by the family of the former Governor Ganduje was brought down.
The bulldozers moved to Hajj camp, near Katsina Road, where construction of a new shopping complex and other private properties were being developed. Again, the structures under construction were crushed. The new administration had accused former Governor Ganduje of illegally disposing of the vast plots of land originally meant for Hajj operation to family friends and cronies.
The central Eid ground at Kofar Nassarawa became the next port of call to pull down illegal story buildings where more than 5,000 shopping complexes were already marked for demolition.
Besides the physical demolition of structures, the NNPP government has ordered the immediate revocation of private property owners who bought public buildings where the popular Asiya Bayero Pediatric Hospital formerly operated.
The immediate past administration had relocated the only state-owned children’s health facility to Isiyaka Rabiu Specialist Hospital, Zoo Road after the then government sold the original facility near the Emir’s palace.
The governor contends that his actions are meant to correct the institutional damages and abuse of privileges the state suffered at the hands of the former Governor.
But his conduct is being perceived as an act of vendetta against Ganduje in some quarters in the state. More disturbing for the naysayers is what they termed the negative economic implication of the governor’s actions.
Recall that the NNPP, before the election, even as an opposition party, had consistently accused the immediate past administration of Ganduje of abuse of office, especially on the sale of the government-landed property preserved for public conveniences.
The Kwankwasiyya Movement did not hide its feeling against the incursion of the former administration on public space, including portions of public schools, hospitals, courts,s and mosques that were sold, just as they warned individuals who acquired the public property of possible demolition.
Rejecting the government action, Lamash Properties Limited, a developer handling some of the projects demolished, has demanded N10 billion compensation from the state government for incursion into its property without prior notice.
In a petition made available to journalists, the firm described the demolition of its properties as a flagrant disregard of the globally accepted principle of fair hearing, even as it threatened legal action against the government to seek compensation.
The statement by Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar, the company’s Director of Sales, explained that the company, like every other corporate body, was invited by the Kano State government in late 2020 to bid for the redevelopment of the old Daula Hotel under a Public Private Partnership (PPP).
“We submitted a bid of three components, including Residential, to comprise 25 luxury apartments, Commercial Hub, various sizes of lettable commercial space, and Daula Boutique Hotel – a 90-room five-star hotel.
“Our bid, like every other bid submitted, went through all the processes including going before the State Executive Council after which we won the bid. We were issued the letter of award and we signed a PPP contract agreement with the Kano state government after which we began work on the project.
“The value of the land being the equity contribution of the Kano State Government into the project plus the agreed profit share of the state government all in the sum of N2,297,016,622.89 was converted into the Hotel and its ownership was given to the Kano State Government as its share into the project, under the PPP arrangement.
The statement continued: “To our utmost surprise, we received a call around 2am on Sunday, June 4, 2023 that officials of the state government, led by the new governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, have mobilised to the site of the project with bulldozers and were tearing down all the buildings on the land, including the already completed 90-room 5-star Daula Boutique Hotel, the 90% completed commercial area (malls) as well as the ongoing residential apartments.
“It was, to say the least, a development most appalling that in this era of paucity of funds available to government and high rate of unemployment in the country, the state government, under whatever guise, decided to demolish a property (the Daula Boutique Hotel) that belongs to it and was supposed to bring in huge revenue to the government and also help reduce unemployment in the state, among others.
“We wish to put it on record that at no point did the state government or any of its officials notify us or invited us for clarification on the project and thus negating the globally acceptable principle of fair hearing.
“We have instructed our legal team to institute legal actions against the state government to claim compensation to the tune of N10billion already invested in the project and to stop the state government from further taking actions that will negatively affect us, based on the PPP contract agreement we signed with it.”
The developer, however, appealed to the general public in Kano State and beyond not only to understand the “nature of our business” as against what is being erroneously portrayed, but also to know that the action of the new state government on investors that invested hugely in the state, under the previous administration, is going to affect the perception of other potential investors coming to put their money in Kano state economy.
Prior to that, the opposition APC in Kano has also condemned the ongoing demolition. The APC cautioned against the likelihood of youth restiveness and security threats the action of the state government may further trigger.
Addressing journalists recently, the state deputy chairman, Shehu Maigari, condemned the continued demolition of private property by the NNPP-led government, describing it as barbaric and regrettable.
The APC leadership maintained that the act of destroying property legally procured by individuals has invariably brought about the undue advantage of recklessness, rampant vandalism, and daylight stealing of valuables by youths.
The party’s deputy chairman charged concerned individuals to remain calm and rather explore all legal means to protect their properties, saying the party was ready to join them in the legal battle.
Responding to allegations of an outright sale of public property leveled against Ganduje, Maigari, who did not deny Ganduje’s action, however, accused previous governors including Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of selling public properties to cronies.
“The barbaric and wanton destruction of the people’s means of livelihood by the state government calls for serious prayers by all well-meaning persons as the people are now counting their loses in billions of naira.
“This has now paralysed and brought the commercial activities in the famous Kantin-Kwari and Kofar Wambai markets, among others, to a standstill. Now, the action of the government has brought chaos, rampant vandalism, daylight stealing and grabbing of innocent people’s properties by the youths. We condemn this barbaric behavior in totality.”
On its part, the new administration insists that the demolition exercise is simply in full compliance with its campaign promises.
The government has said the ongoing demolition of illegal structures, originally initiated by the immediate past administration, will continue without any obstruction. Essentially, the NNPP maintained that the demolition remained the only way to restore sanity and correct the gross abuse of power by Ganduje’s administration.
Justifying the position of the NNPP government on the demolition exercise, the Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam emphasised the importance of upholding the rule of law and restoring order in urban areas of the state. He stressed that the essence of demolishing the structures was to ensure sustainable urban development and protect the interests of the general public.
Abdulsalam, while addressing the Tarauni community, lamented the negative impact of unregulated structures on infrastructure, drainage systems, and public safety. The Deputy Governor highlighted how public assets were sold by the previous administration for personal gain, without considering the consequences on the community.
Reacting to the legal implication, as threatened by the developer, a legal adviser to Governor Yusuf, Barrister Bashir Tudun-Mushurshi argued that government is prepared to join issues with any party willing to seek redress on the ongoing demolition.
Barrister Bashir faulted the developer and other owners of the illegal structures where demolition is being done for flagrant disregard of subsisting legal incursion on the property they acquired. He, however, challenged owners of the properties to show authentic proof of ownership of the land they claim to have duly acquired from the previous administration.
“It is and until when you legally acquire a land with due documents that you can stand tall to challenge government for notice or even compensation. Besides, the developers have flouted and grossly violated subsisting order of the court for occupying the land in the first instance.
“They can’t prove ignorance to know that the subject matter is already under litigation before this time. Hence, they should rather blame themselves for failure to know what is necessary before investing on public property,” Barrister Bashir emphasised.
While the dust is yet to settle on the illegal structures’ demolition, the government went further to demolish another multi-million Naira monument put up by Ganduje’s administration in 2017 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the state. The aesthetic structure, designed by a renowned architect, Kaltume Gana, was leveled by the special task force on demolition last Wednesday.
The unique edifice, engraved in a traditional aesthetic molecule depicting the Kano cultural heritage, was remodeled in 2019 with the sum of N160 million by Ganduje’s administration. Unlike the reason advanced for demolishing illegal structures, the government insisted the Golden Jubilee monument was demolished for safety and security reasons.
The reasons advanced by government have, however, not gone down well with the majority of residents who have been full of criticism.
Beyond what many consider as vendetta, the majority equally view the entire demolition exercise as another ploy to settle the lingering political discord with former Governor Ganduje.
And many believe the entire exercise is being orchestrated to pay back Ganduje for the humiliation he meted on the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement and political godfather of the NNPP Governor in Kano, Kwankwaso.
“Remember Ganduje had sometimes ago ordered the cleansing of Kwankwaso’s name on all public projects constructed by Kwankwaso while in government.
“Ganduje had used state power to prevent Kwankwaso from entering Kano for more than three years. What kind of embarrassment could be worse than that? So if you ask me, I would not doubt if what is happening now is an act of payback,” Aminu Abubakar, a public analyst said.
The Guardian
