Residents Protest Planned Demolition By Kaduna State Govt

Public-officers-must-work-for-the-people-or-be-voted-out-in-2019-–-El-Rufai

Residents of Gbagyi community in Kaduna State, including women and children took to the streets in their hundreds yesterday to protest the proposed demolition of 3,500 houses, 40 churches and 16 schools by the state government.

The aggrieved residents who were seen brandishing placards with inscriptions like: ‘We are not criminals,’ ‘el-Rufai came to power through rule-of-law; respect it,’ ‘el-Rufai cannot be the accuser and judge,’ appealed to the governor to reason with them saying they haven’t broken any law.

Governor Nasir el-Rufai is insisting on demolishing the community situated in the suburb of Kaduna despite a restraining court order, claiming the place was illegally occupied by ‘criminals’ on a land allegedly belonging to Federal Polytechnic, Kaduna.

El-Rufai had, a week ago, visited the community with his officials and refused to meet with leaders of the community, saying every structure standing that does not have a certificate-of-occupancy and a building permit would be demolished.

Meanwhile, Chris Abba, the Chairman, Gbagyi Villa Property Owners Association, stated that less than two percent of the millions of homes and property in Kaduna State had C-of-O, but that almost every property in their community possesses valid building permits from Kaduna State Urban Planning Development Authority.

“If it is not this week the governor may have issued a C-of-O for his father’s house in Zaria, we challenge him to produce one. There are ulterior motives behind his insistence to effect this demolition,” he said.