By TAIYE AGBAJE

The Kano State Government, on Thursday, agreed to pay N3 billion as compensation to the Incorporated Trustees of Masallacin Eid Shop Owners and Traders Association for the unlawful demolition of their property.

The agreement was reached through an application on terms of settlement dated Dec. 12 and filed Dec. 13 by counsel to parties before Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that following the demolition of the shops on Gov. Abba Yusuf’s order, 56 applicants, on behalf of the association, had filed the suit marked: FHC/KN/CS/208/2023 in Kano division.

The applicants sued the state government Kano State, the Kano State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA); state’s Attorney-General (A-G), Nigeria Police; Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 1, Kano; Commissioner of Police, Kano; Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corpse (NSCDC) Commandant; and NSCDC, Kano State Command.

Justice Samuel Amobeda had, on Sept. 29 in a judgment, ordered the state government to pay the traders N30 billion as compensation against the traders’ N250 billion demand, for the illegal demolition of their property.

But following the refusal of the state government to obey the Kano court order, the traders filed an ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1382/2023 before Justice Ekwo, seeking an oder for Garnishee Order Nisi attaching the funds (present and future) of KSG, KNUPDA, state’s A-G, including but limited to Kano State Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) Account.

They also attached the UBA account number: 1019716320, Polaris account number:: 1790249410 and other accounts in the custody of the respective garnishees to the tune of N30 billion in satisfaction of the Sept. 29 judgement, among other reliefs, and Justice Ekwo granted the application on Nov. 28.

Some of the garnishees joined in the suit include the CBN, Account-General of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Finance, FAAC, UBA, Zenith Bank, Unity Bank, Polaris Bank, among others.

However, upon resumed hearing on Thursday, counsel to the judgment creditors (traders), Dr N. A. Ayagi, who read the garnishee proceeding initiated against the judgement debtors (state government and others) and the garnishees, informed 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.

“We have accordingly filed our terms of settlement,” he said.

Ayagi then adopted the terms of settlement and urged the court to enter it as consent judgement.

Also, lawyer to the judgment debtors, Affis Matanmi, did not object to the application and Justice Ekwo consequently delivered the judgment as consented to by parties. (NAN)

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