Kano State Government Ordered to Pay N30 Billion as Compensation for Unlawful Demolition

In a recent legal development, a Federal High Court in Kano has ruled that the Kano State Government must pay the Incorporated Trustees of Eid Grand Shop Owners a staggering sum of N30 billion as compensation for the unlawful demolition of their properties. The court found that the state government had carried out the demolition exercise without adhering to legal procedures, deeming it unconstitutional and barbaric.

The case stems from the demolition of various properties across Kano Metropolis, which was ordered by the former Kano State governor, Abba Yusuf. Governor Yusuf alleged that these properties had been sold illegally by the previous administration. Among the demolished structures were a three-storey building housing 90 shops on a racecourse at Nasarawa GRA, the Daula Hotel—a three-star hotel reconstructed under a Private Public Partnership arrangement during the Ganduje administration, and shops erected in parts of the Kofar Mata Eid prayer ground.

The owners of these demolished properties, represented by the Incorporated Trustees of ‘Massallacin Eid Shop Owners,’ took legal action against the Kano government over the demolition. The Federal High Court case, presided over by Judge Samuel Amobeda, resulted in a landmark decision.

Judge Amobeda’s ruling ordered the Kano State Government to pay the affected traders N30 billion as compensation for the illegal demolition of their properties. Additionally, the judge imposed fines on several respondents, including the Kano state government, KNUPDA (Kano State Urban Planning and Development Authority), the Attorney General of Kano state, Nigeria Police, Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 1 in Kano, and the Commissioner of Police in Kano.

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The fines included N10 billion in damages for the violation of the applicants’ fundamental rights to life, dignity of the human person, and ownership of property. Another N20 billion was levied as punitive and exemplary damages for the high-handedness, impunity, and lawlessness displayed during the demolition.

Judge Amobeda, in his judgment, emphasized that the Kano State Government’s invocation of investigative powers against the applicants, without any established allegation or report of crime, was unlawful and unconstitutional. He further deemed the forced acquisition and demolition of the applicants’ business premises without due process of law as a flagrant violation of their rights to property, life, livelihood, and dignity of the human person.

This landmark ruling highlights the importance of upholding the rule of law and respecting citizens’ fundamental rights. The Kano State Government now faces the significant financial burden of compensating the affected property owners, serving as a reminder to all governments of the need to adhere to legal processes and protect citizens’ rights.

For more details on this case, please visit Premium Times.

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