Kaduna community kicks against El-Rufai's demolition plans

Over 35,000 residents of Gbagyi Villa, a community in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State will be rendered homeless as the state government embarks on demolishing about 3,000 buildings marked as illegal structure in the area.

The exercise is billed to take place in a week's time and the affected landlords have been served with related notices.

Kaduna State Urban and Property  Development Agency , KASUPDA on 4 February issued  a 21-day notice for demolition , which expired on 25 February.

Worried by the inconveniences they are expected to suffer, victims of the planned demolition yesterday sent a Save Our Soul (SOS) message to President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, to stop the action.

The residents, who in their large numbers, trouped out in protest, faulted the claims by the state government that the community seats on Kaduna Polytechnic land and that affected landlords are there illegally.

In a press statement jointly signed by the Chairman, Gbagyi Villa Community, Chris Obodumu and National Co-oordinator, Nasiru Jagaba, though the people acknowledged the conflict of interest between Kaduna Polytechnic and Gbagyi community, they said the matter was amicably resolved.

" It is incomprehinsible and unfair for Kaduna State government to claim that our community  , after all these years of existence , seats on Polytechnic land ".They stated.
Addressing Journalists after the Peaceful protest within the Gbagyi Villa community today, Chairman of  land owners within the disputed land ,  Chris Obodumu said , " Section 16, sub-section 2(d) of 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended, provides that the state shall directs its policy towards among other things ensuring " that suitable and adequate shelterare provided for all citizens ".

"The parcel of land in question has been a source of dispute between the native Gbagyi people and the polytechnic because the ancestral owners were not duly paid to enable the transfer of ownership from Gbagyi People to Kaduna Polytechnic.

" We are appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to impress it on Governor El-Rufai , the need to change his mind over the planned demolition. " He urged.

"However, the erstwhile government of late Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, after due process through the court, inaugurated a while paper committee in May 2011 which looked into the matter and amicably demarcated the boundary between the two parties.



Related News

500
Leave a comment...