Kano Government marks buildings behind city wall for demolition, spares properties sold by Kwankwaso

The Kano State Government on Friday marked some properties built behind the ancient city wall for demolition.

The properties were built on the land sold by the administration of the immediate past governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.

The government, however, spared some shops on the lands sold during the administration of Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor of the state and the political godfather of the state governor.

Some of the structures marked for demolition by the Kano State Urban Planning Development Authority (KNUPDA) include a filling station, shopping malls, a car mart, event centres, and sporting complexes, among others.

The structures are owned by SALBAS Oil and Gas, Matrix Gas Station, Matrix Petrol Station, Amna 9 Station, and Double Twins Event Centre among other structures erected behind the city wall from Dan’agundi gate to ‘Kofar Fanfo’ gate.

Following the marking, some residents became outraged and wondered why the exercise did not reach the Kofar Fanfo area where the administration of Mr Kwankwaso sold some properties.

However, the state government said all government properties within and outside the state sold by the former administration were illegal because the government sold them to the cronies of top officials.

Outrage

In a post on his Facebook page, a Kano-based media consultant, Isah Nasidi, advised the government to make sure the demolition exercise has the backing of the law.

Mr Nasidi said it is unjust for the government to target only properties sold by the Ganduje government while sparing those sold by Mr Kwankwaso.

“Mr. Kwankwaso’s administration sold land on the city wall from Kofar Fanfo to Kofar Kabuga (gate). Ganduje did the same from Kofar Fanfo to Kofar Nasarawa (gate), now you mark for demolition the ones sold by Mr. Ganduje, which one is legal and illegal?” Mr Nasidi said.

“Some concerned citizens of Kano have disagreed with Mr Kwankwaso but he proved wayward and sold the land when he was at the helm, but when Ibrahim Shekarau came on board, he did not demolish the structure for public good.

“The demolition of these structures is an injustice to the people of the state,” Mr Nasidi said.

Nazifi Muhammed, a resident of Fagge area in the metropolis said the state can’t develop with “politics of vengeance and the political actors should be held responsible for whatever happens in the state.”

“Government lands and properties are being sold by governors and none of them can claim sainthood in this regard. If the new administration wanted to do justice to the matter let him (governor) institute a commission of inquiry and identify the ones legally sold and retrieve some sold illegally,” Mr Muhammed said.

Another respondent, Nafiu Ubale, claimed that the sale of government lands within the city wall dated back to the military administration of Dominick Oneya but it became rampant in 1999 during the administration of Kwankwaso and Ganduje.

“I believe that the demolition was done for vengeance not for the interest of the people of the state. For me as a businessman, any land within the metropolis should be allotted to business people because Kano is known for business.

“This new governor claim(s) that he is demolishing the structures on the city wall to preserve our culture, you cannot destroy people’s business in the name of culture, what is a culture without wealth,” Mr Ubale said.