Residents decry El-Rufai’s plan to demolish 300 houses

Residents of communities living around Yakowa Road in Kamazo Area of Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna state on Sunday begged the state governor, Nasir El’rufai, to end demolition of houses in the area. 

Newsmen gathered that about 300 houses would be affected if the government continues with the ongoing demolition in communities like Karji, Babban Saura, Old Kamazo, Janruwa, and Unguwar Mai Gero areas.  

News gathered also shows that the State Government through Kaduna State Property Development Agency has already demolished some houses and an event centre in the communities.

 Our reporter who visited the communities reported that the residents were seen consoling each other over the unfortunate incident as they picked up some of the debris left in the houses demolished. 

 One of the community leaders in Old Kamazo who spoke at a news briefing, Yusuf Zumo, said they (residents) were not issued notices by the authorities before they stormed the area and demolished their houses. 

He said the government officials accompanied by security agencies, police, in particular, went house to house asking people to vacate the houses in the middle of the night. “We were all shocked when we saw them around 1:30 am on Thursday asking us to vacate our houses. We have never witnessed something like this in our lives. 

About 300 houses would be demolished and nobody came to tell us why we should leave our houses because there was no notice to that effect,” he said. 

Other residents interviewed also expressed their dismay over the government’s action, saying they have government approval before building their houses. They also claimed that they have no other place to relocate to as majority of them are pensioners that invested their life saving to build the houses which they legally bought.

Credit: Daily Trust