For residents and homeowners in the newly carved-out settlement at Salanta Layout along Yahaya Gusau road in Kano metropolis, the last few days have been spent under the looming fear that their hundreds of millions of Naira-worth properties were next to be demolished by the Kano State government.
This is because most of the properties in this settlement were on Wednesday marked with red paint by the Kano Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA) demanding that all the structures be removed.
This, it was gathered, was in continuation of the government's move to "restore" the Kano Urban Development Masterplan, which include the removal (demolition) of all structures on public spaces like mosques, schools and the Kano city ancient wall.
The houses marked for removal, many of which have been completed, are said to be built on land belonging to the Kano State Polytechnic, carved out and sold by the immediate past administration of Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
One of the homeowners, a Russia-based medical doctor, who asked for his name to be withheld for security reasons, narrated to Daily Trust in a phone interview how he fulfilled all due processes before developing the property using his life savings and a loan from a financial institution in Russia.
The doctor, an indigene of Kano State who has been working in Russia for close to a decade, said he acquired the land after deciding to invest in his home state despite other options.
"When I called on my uncle, he was not even in the state because most of our family had left. I told him to go back to Kano.
"We went to KNUPDA, we went to the Land Management Bureau, who even recommended the land for us and we paid all the necessary fees after which I got the land layout and when the design was ready, we took it to the relevant authorities for approval before we started building.
"They said the windows had to be adjusted because of the neighbours. I spent about N500,000 just for the change of the design and they approved it. After the approval, I applied for change of name for my land, I got it. I applied for C of O, I got it. I applied for everything before I built my house," he said.
He said he had budgeted $800,000 for the project based on the survey and quotation and had to seek a loan of $500,000 using all his property (in Russia) as collateral to add to his savings of $500,000, making it $1 million with the hope he would have the $200,000 to fall back on.
"As we started building, everything skyrocketed, so I had to spend all $1 million and it wasn't even enough. I had to borrow additional from my family. My mom owns a sachet water company in Jigawa State and we sold it to raise more money with the hope to recoup when the house is put up for sale," he added.
He said his first shock was that after putting up the property for sale, he realised that he couldn't recoup his investment and pay back the loan he took.
He said he, however, woke up to a further shock three days ago when his uncle called to inform him that the house had been marked for demolition and that homeowners went to KNUPDA office with their relevant documents but they were shut out by officials of the Land Management Bureau.
"I got the number of the Managing Director of KNUPDA. I called him but he said it's illegal for government to carve out land belonging to a school. I said we didn't carve it out. The government carved it out and sold it to us. We followed all legal procedures and acquired it. I said there should have been at least compensation but he said there will be no compensation."
He said he was advised to write to the governor, which he has done.
The distraught doctor said he was worried that he might be deported to Nigeria if he defaulted on the loan he took to build the property.
"You know how these people are, (if I default on the loan) they will take everything I have even the permanent residency. They will take it. They will deport me after over eight years and I will go back with nothing! And it's not like I did something bad. I just owned land legally and built a home to sell.
They beat me and my pregnant wife up - Homeowner
Another homeowner resident in the area, Jamilu Adakawa, said they can no longer sleep since the houses were marked as looters were always coming to steal from the structures.
Adakawa said he also got the land and developed it after getting all the necessary approvals from the same agency that is now threatening to pull down the house.
"Every day, we have to chase away looters. Over 200 of them come here and if we allow them, they will steal our property.
"We are pleading with the government to look into our situation. Our families and relatives are living here. They should please check our records and agreement with the government we bought these plots from," he said.
A few hours after granting Daily Trust this interview, a video emerged on social media showing Adakawa with a bloodied face from what he later described as an attack he received from those sent to demolish his house.
In the now-viral video, Adakawa could be heard saying "... which kind of government is this that is ruling us like in the time of Pharaoh. We built our houses; we are living with our families but they are here to chase us out. They wounded me on my head and spoilt my phone. My wife is pregnant and they also beat her. I will never forgive anyone who did this to me.
Our kids now tagged as 'children of thieves' - Businessman
Another homeowner in the area, Nasiru Muhammad, said his children are being subjected to ridicule by people in the area, addressing them as children of thieves and that their house will be demolished.
"Since the day they marked this place up to today that they came to demolish the houses we have not been able to sleep. We bought the land from KNUPDA and now the same KNUPDA will demolish the houses we built with our money," he cried out.
Saminu Shehu, who also owned a property in the area, lamented how disagreement between politicians would be allowed to destroy the lives of the people who have no hand in the fight.
"We are nowhere near politics, we don't have any relationship with politicians. All we know is our business and we are indigenes of this state. But look at how the government is treating us. They were voted to protect lives and properties, instead, they are now destroying our wealth," he lamented.
No compensation, no going back on demolition - Gov't
Reacting to the development in an interview with Daily Trust, the Managing Director of KNUPDA, Arc. Ibrahim Yakubu Adamu, said all the buildings in the area were situated inside a public place, belonging to Kano State Polytechnic and Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies.
He reiterated that while there is no going back on the demolition of the houses, the state government was giving more time for the residents to remove their belongings, adding that the ongoing demolition in the area affects only uncompleted buildings for now.
"That area you are talking about is inside public property. It is part of the campaign promises of His Excellency, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, that he will restore all public places that were sold and put them back to use.
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"We marked these places since the 9th of this month and it's over one week now, that is why we began the process. The place has to be put back to use by these institutions," he said.
On compensation for the residents, the MD said the places were sold illegally and the people were aware that they belong to the institutions, adding that when the government wants to use its land where there is a structure then it will pay compensation, not when the land was already in use by an institution or any other public place.
"We can recall when the plots were sold out students of the schools protested. They even expelled one lecturer who supported the students. But people went and bought plots there. We have to get them back because as people can see, the expansion of schools is very necessary nowadays, especially looking at how our population is growing," he said.
He debunked the reports that the past administration of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso also sold plots of land in the area. He said there is nothing wrong with the government designing layouts and selling to the public but not places belonging to institutions, schools or religious places.
Yakubu further called on the owners of structures that were built in public places to allow the government to work towards restoring and redesigning the master plan of the state for better use and the benefit of future generations.
"We are not doing this for our own personal gain. We are doing this for Kano State and its people. We want not only to restore the master plan of the state but also to redesign the state to conform to the future and global structures across the world. So people including owners of these properties should support us for the development of the state which all of us will enjoy," he added.
