Demolition: Court gives Kano govt one week to pay N30bn compensation

A Federal High Court has issued an order to the Kano government, requiring them to make a payment of 30 billion Naira within one week. This ruling comes in response to a lawsuit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Masallacin Eid Shop Owners and Traders against the government.

It’s important to recall that back in September, the same court had directed the Kano State government to compensate the Incorporated Trustees of Masallacin Eid Shop Owners for the unlawful demolition of their properties. This action was taken following a decision by the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, who, upon assuming office in late May, ordered the demolition of shops, malls, and a hotel, asserting that they were in violation of the state’s masterplan.

The demolished properties included three-storey buildings with ninety shops located at the Nasarawa GRA race course, Daula Hotel (reconstructed under a private-public partnership arrangement during Abdullahi Ganduje’s administration), and a structure at Hajj Camp that had been sold to private individuals by the previous state administration, with shops constructed in parts of the Kofar Mata and Eid prayer ground.

In the latest court ruling, Justice Samuel Amobeda, the presiding judge, has stipulated that the sum of 30 billion Naira must be deposited in the Court’s bank account within seven days while awaiting the outcome of any appeals.

Additionally, the Commissioner for Works in Kano State, Marwan Ahmed, may face legal consequences for continuing to interfere with the properties against the court’s judgment. The notice also cautioned that contempt of court and potential imprisonment could result if the court’s order is not complied with.