Demoltion in progress

Shop owners count their losses as Kaduna State government moved bulldozers into areas marked for demolition to pull down structures built within school premises in Kaduna North local government area of Kaduna.

A tour round affected areas such as, Maiduguri Road, Muri Road, Gwari Road, Lokoja Road and Cameroon Road show that most shop owners, who were seen packing their wares and machines out of marked shops today, expressed sadness over demolition exercise.

According to the affected victims, the demolition exercise had cost them unquantifiable millions of naira in terms of printing jobs and other business loss as well as cost incurred to move property. Though some of those interviewed said the demolition didn’t come as a surprise, they expected the state government to provide an alternative place for them.

Beer Angele, a trader told The NEWS that Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority, KASUPDA, in August gave notice to all shop owners to quit the marked areas, but because they didn’t see any sign that the demolition will continue, they refused to move out. “We were in church when they called us to rush down to Lokoja Road to come and pack our loads out before the bulldozers crushed them with the building,” she stated.

Gov. El-Rufai, left

From what the magazine gathered as at the time of filing this report, over a hundred shops built around the government primary schools at Maiduguri and Muri road by Lagos Street have been demolished.

Ayo Ogumola also confirmed they were served notice in August and today they came to carry out the demolition exercise. But thanked the demolition team for allowing them to carry out our things before the demolition exercise was carried out.

Governor El-Rufai commenced what he termed “Reclaiming of government owned lands” encroached upon at Zaria. This started with the demolition of buildings at the Alhudahuda college area in August and government has continued the exercise within Kaduna metropolis.