Kano to pay N3bn compensation to owners of demolished shops

The Kano government has agreed to pay N3 billion as compensation to incorporated trustees of Masallacin Eid and traders association over the demolition of shops in the state.

NAN reports that the government and the traders’ association reached a consensus through an application of settlement dated December 12 and filed on December 13.

The counsels to the parties reached an agreement before Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge of the federal high court in Abuja.

Earlier this year, many buildings believed to be constructed on government properties were demolished on the order of Abba Yusuf, governor of Kano.

Some buildings alleged to have been erected illegally by the previous administration were also demolished.

Some of the buildings demolished included a roundabout located near the government house, a three-storey building with 90 shops situated at Nasarawa GRA and shops built beside the fence of Sani Abacha stadium in Kofar Mata, among other structures.

Residents of the Kano had earlier protested against the government’s action but the governor said the debris from the demolition would be used to rehabilitate the state.

This followed the application by 56 applicants, on behalf of the association, who had filed the suit marked: FHC/KN/CS/208/2023 in the Kano division.

The applicants sued the Kano government, Kano State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA), the state’s attorney-general, the Nigeria Police, the assistant inspector general of police Zone 1, the commissioner of police, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) commandant.

In a judgment delivered in September, Samuel Amobeda, the presiding judge, asked the Kano government to pay compensation of N30 billion as against the N250 billion demanded by the traders.

The traders then filed an ex-parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1382/2023 following the governor’s refusal to comply with the court’s directive.

During the resumed hearing on Thursday, N.A Ayagi, the counsel to the traders, while reading the garnishee proceedings, told the court that the parties had reached an agreement.

”We are glad to inform the court that the judgement creditors and the judgement debtors have reached settlement,” Ayagi said.

“We have accordingly filed our terms of settlement.”

The traders’ counsel adopted the terms of the settlement and asked the court to enter it as a consent judgment.

Affis Matanmi, lawyer to the judgment debtors, did not object to the application and the judge delivered a verdict as agreed by the parties.