By DESMOND MGBOH, Kano

Property worth several millions of Naira were destroyed, Sunday night, as Kano State government embarked on the demolition of makeshift shops and attachments along the popular Mallam Abubakar Rimi (Sabon Garri) market in the state capital.

The late night operation, which was directly executed by officers of the Kano State Road and Transport Agency (KAROTA) had backups from sister security agencies such as the police, Department of State Services and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Heavily affected by the demolition are irregular structures, attachments and shops on the walkways and the frontline of the market, along Igbo Road by market, Bata Junction by Murtala Mohammed Way, up to Yankura end of the market.

The affected traders included delears in accessories, interior decoration materials, fabrics, second- hand clothings and shoes, fruits, vegetable sellers, fish and meats sellers, including petty service providers such as hair dressers, nail fixers, among others.

Most of the victims, who were alerted by phone of the demolition exercise, were dazed at the extreme level of destruction recorded against them by the officials of KAROTA.

Meanwhile, tension is brewing around the market area as the affected traders have objected to the cold destruction of their means of livelihood.

It was gathered they burnt tyres in display of anger against the action of the state owned agencies, a demonstration which resulted in the closure of the biggest market in the state in the early hours of the day.

The spokesman, Kano State Road Transport Agency told Daily Sun that they were clearing illegal trading structures situated along roads and walkways in the state, sayingthat these structures were obstructions to traffic in the state.

He stressed that the exercise which started on Friday, would be extended to different parts of the state in the coming days, while disputing clais that the traders were given a very short notice.

“We notified the traders about six months ago and we would have since chased them out a long time ago, if not for the COVID-19 pandemic which stalled activities in the state” he stated. (Daily Sun)