Kano govt reacts as court awards N30bn damages on demolished shops

The Kano State Government has reacted to a Federal High Court ruling which ordered payment of N30 billion compensation to Incorporated Trustees of Massallacin Eid Shop owners for the unlawful demolition of their shops without following due processes laid down by law.

Daily Trust Saturday reports that Justice Samuel Amobeda Friday averred that the action of the Kano State Government against the applicants was “barbaric and unconstitutional.”

Recall that the shopping malls around Kano Eid Ground were in the month of June demolished by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf-led administration, which tagged the buildings as illegal structures.

The action, according to the government, was part of its campaign promises delivered to the good people of Kano State.

• Obasanjo, Oyo monarchs and loss of royal dignity
• How struggle for freedom tears Nigeria’s entertainment industry apart

However, the traders under the auspices of the Incorporated Trustees of Massallacin Eid Shop Owners challenged the demolition at the Federal High Court.

But reacting to the court ruling, the State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Haruna Dederi, said the ruling was unfounded and that the government has all necessary documents in place to appeal the case.

“We are going to contest that at the Court of Appeal and moreover, the land use decree is very clear about the powers of the governor over land in the state and more particularly in urban areas,” he said.