From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Anxiety has gripped the metropolis of Kano State as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has continued demolition of property allegedly built on public spaces by the immediate past Abdullahi Umar Ganduje-led government.
The latest to fall to his bulldozers are the ongoing multi-million naira structure at Daula Hotel and a massive outlet at Hajj camp, all in the metropolitan area of the state.
These properties, like the 90 shops, three-storey building demolished at Race-Course a night ago, were brought down on Saturday night by government agents accompanied by security agencies.
Governor Abba, upon his victory at the gubernatorial polls, had charged individuals, groups and organisations to discontinue construction works within and around premises of schools, religious, cultural sites, hospitals and graveyards in the state. His order also covered structures along the city walls and all public buildings belonging to the government and people of Kano State.
Some business owners told Daily Sun that they were shocked by the demolition even as they expressed concerns over the impact on their various interests if the exercise continues.
A top politician in the state implored the governor to exercise restraint, fearing he t might be piling up avoidable litigations for itself .
“The owners of the affected property will surely run to court. Certainly some of them have legitimate papers and government approvals. Does the governor have the power in law to demolish structures legally acquired from a legitimate government? I am not very sure; it will be up to the court to determine.
“Secondly, Abba secured a lot of his votes in the last elections from the metropolitan area. He might be angry with Ganduje’s administration, but in the final analysis he would realize and sadly too, that he has injured people who actually supported him.
“He should have known that some of Ganduje’s visible supporters secretly supported his victory at the polls,” the source said.