KANO State governor Abba Yusuf, on Saturday, June 3, commenced the demolition of illegal structures in different parts of the state.
The first of such buildings to be demolished, a three-storey structure, is located on the Race Course Playground in the Nasarawa GRA area of the state.
The structure is said to be among buildings belonging to the state government that were ‘illegally’ sold to private individuals during the Abdullahi Ganduje administration.
The governor also promised to demolish more illegal structures erected on plots of land meant reserved for schools, graveyards, markets and hospitals.
Yusuf, who was present during the demolition in the early hours of Saturday, was led to the exercise by the police commissioner, Muhammed Gumel.
The new governor had in his inaugural address given an order to security agencies in the state to immediately take over all public properties sold by the administration of the former governor, Ganduje.
“I am announcing, today, that all these public places and assets that were immorally plundered and sold by the Ganduje administration should be taken over by law enforcement agencies, led by the police, the DSS, Civil Defence, and Hisbah pending the final decision of government,” he said.
Speaking further on the development on Saturday, June 3, the governor said his administration has set measures in motion to reclaim all encroached land on the identified public places that were used to erect illegal structures.
He said: “In the early hours of Saturday, we witnessed the implementation of the first step in our pursuit to restore sanity to the Kano State Urban Development Masterplan.
“With the demolition of the illegal structure at the Race Course playground, we have set in motion to reclaim all encroached land on the identified public places that were used to erect illegal structures by private individuals or groups.
“I have also directed the demolition of all the illegally erected structures in schools, mosques, play-grounds, graveyards, markets and hospitals, to ensure strict adherence on the urban planning, beautification and safety of people.”
He called on residents of the state to exercise patience, assuring that his administration is committed to the actualisation of a prosperous Kano.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M