Hundreds of youth on Monday staged a peaceful demonstration against the ongoing demolition of illegal structures embarked upon by the Kano state government.
The protesters, including victims of the exercise, trooped out in the early hours of the day and converged at the demolished Daula Hotel on the Murtala Muhammad Way, carrying placards with different inscriptions condemning the act.
Some of the inscriptions read: “Abba Gida-Gida is envious of investors”, “Don’t bring insecurity to our state, our people are dying in the process of demolishing”, “A responsible governor cannot destroy what his predecessors built with taxpayers’ money,” among others.
Addressing newsmen shortly after the protest, the Director Research and Development Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiative, Zahraddeen Sani Baba, described as unfortunate the destruction of properties worth N226 billion by the Abba-led state government within three weeks.
“We the people of Kano State unanimously voted for Governor Abba Yusuf to bring development to the State. It was believed that the governor was the messiah of the time who shall continue with people-oriented programmes of his predecessor to salvage the people of Kano State.
“It is unfortunate that within six days in office, the perceived messiah has become a source of sorrow to many residents and indigenes of Kano State, who acquired land from the previous administration of Abdullahi Ganduje.
“It is disheartening that the governor ordered demolition of properties worth over N226 billion within his 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,” Baba said.
He alleged that the governor was only “on a mission of vendetta”, adding that: “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.”
Blueprint learnt that the state government has marked more buildings for demolishing, especially along BUK road, which has also attracted legal action from various quarters.
