Kaduna State Urban and Planning Development Authority (KASUPDA) has demolished 52 shops at the Royal Market along Ibrahim Taiwo Road within the metropolis, following an eviction order given to shop owners few days ago.
The shop owners told Arewa Trust Weekly that they were taken by surprise because their union had told them that they were negotiating with the market’s management but unfortunately, they had received barrage of calls at midnight of Thursday that their shops were being demolished.
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A trader, Peter Ezechukwu described the demolition as illegal because they were given 51 days to vacate their shops but that the market leaders told them negotiation was ongoing with the market management.
“I was at home when I received a call from the market security guards that security agencies, giving cover to KASUPDA officials had arrived at the market to demolish our shops and by the time, I reached there to try and salvage my goods, the whole shops were demolished,” he said.
Zakariya Salisu Rigasa, a phone and accessory merchant, said he was shocked to see how his shop was demolished with his properties inside. “We removed some items but some were damaged like the phones. I don’t know how life will be after this but God is with us. We depend on God and He will provide us with another alternative,” he said.
Also speaking with Arewa Trust Weekly, Muhammad Sani Mai Gwanjo said they were surprised to see this happening to them in the holy month of Ramadan. “The government was not fair to us even though they gave us notice to vacate; they should have allowed us to remove our properties from the shops before demolishing,” he said.
The Public Relations Officer, Nuhu Garba promised to call back later on the issue but he did not and his phone was switched off when our correspondent tried to reach him again.
Also, when contacted, the Chairman of the Sheikh Abubakar Gumi Market Union, Alhaji Ibrahim Daudawa, said he was in a meeting and would get back but did not do so as at the time of filing this report.
