Worried by the spree demolition of illegal structures in Kano, Salanta community in Gwale Local Government Area of Kano metropolis has appealed to the state government not to demolish their houses.

The public outcry came as the state task force on mass demolition under the Urban Protection and Development Authority (KNUPDA) marked hundreds of houses in the community for demolition.

Addressing journalists at the weekend on the development, leader of the community, Alh. Ali Abdulrazaq, expressed worries on the rational of the government to mark their houses for demolition having satisfied all legal requirements and procedures in the acquisition of their properties.

Abdulrazaq said the residents woke up Friday morning in shock of KNUPDA officials issuing order notice to remove their structures forthwith or stand the risk of being demolished.

“In fact, they went as far as writing such orders on our walls telling every house owner to remove the structures on ground or risk demolition.

“As at the time we acquired our lands, this place was so deserted to the extent that people were being killed and dumbed inside uncompleted buildings here. We remained here until this place became opened to social visibility. The government is asking us to leave and marked our houses for demolition; this is not fair”, Abdulrazaq said.

Other affected members of the community Alhaji Ali Rabiu Abbas and Saminu Shehu Muhammed also called on government to rethink the decision, saying they have spent their entire life servings to build their houses. They appealed to government to consider the large families that would be rendered homeless if the demolition is carried out.

“We have not done anything wrong to warrant any threat. After all, we are indigenes of Kano; we all have the right to own and acquire land wherever we deem fit. We are appealing to the present administration under Abba Kabiru Yusuf to temper justice with mercy because many people might not survive the demolition of their houses by the state.

“It is good to avoid anything that would cause problem leading to loss of lives. Similar episodes happened in the past and the result was not favourable to the victims.”

The NNPP administration has directed immediate demolition of all property on public schools, marketplace, mosque premises, graveyards and other public places sold to individuals by former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

The buildings marked for demolition in Salanta community were said to have encroached part of reserved land of Kano State Polytechnic along Bayero University, Kano. (The Guardian)

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