With  the expiration of the 21-day notice given by the Kaduna state government  for the demolition of over three thousand houses at Gbagyi Villa, Kaduna  State , landlords , tenants and their children on Thursday came out in hundreds to protest the plan.

The Kaduna government said the houses were built on land belonging to Kaduna State Polytechnic .

Kaduna State Urban and Property  Development Agency , KASUPDA on 4 February issued  a 21-day notice for demolition , which expired on 25 February.

But today, the affected ‘squatters’ of the Gbagyi Villa community,  came out as early as 7 a.m to stage a peaceful protest  carrying  various placards with inscriptions such as : ” Gbagyi Villa is our ancestral land “, ” El-Rufai don’t demolish our houses”, ” El-Rufai, is this the Change you promised us ? ” , “Our buildings have planning permission issued by KASUPDA”, ” El-Rufai , demolition is ethnic cleansing against Gbagyi people”.

According to them,  KASUPDA in their demolition notice ,cited alleged non-posssesion of planning permission , but in a strange twist ,Governor El-Rufai through the Director-General of Lands said the planned demolition is based on the reason that Gbagyi Villa is situated on Kaduna Polytechnic land .

” It is incomprehinsible and unfair for Kaduna State government to claim that our community  , after all these years of existence , seats on Polytechnic land “.They stated.

Addressing Journalists after the Peaceful protest within the Gbagyi Villa community today, Chairman of  land owners within the disputed land ,  Chris Obodumu said , ” Section 16, sub-section 2(d) of 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended, provides that the state shall directs its policy towards among other things ensuring ” that suitable and adequate shelter–are provided for all citizens “.

While pointing out that even the United Nations recognises the provision of shelter as part of the irreducible minimum of the fundamental duty of every government to it’s citizens, Obodumu noted, “We have provided shelters for ourselves and families , it is therefore unconscionable,  immoral and constitutionally indefensible for any government , especially one that rode to power on the crest of poor welfare delivery by past government to plan to demolish a place like Gbagyi Villa where citizens have built over 3,000 houses.”

He further explained thatv Gbagyi Villa came into existence through a legitimate and lawful process , Gbagyi villa has no dispute with any of its neighbours , nor is any entity or institution laying claim to the land on which it is situated .  Gbagyi villa and  has more than 3,000 houses built and occupied by families ,widows,orphans ,retirees, civil servants and business people.

He also said  with over  40 Churches, all built after KASUPDA’s permission , more so that Gbagyi villa is a mini Nigeria ,where all ethnic and religious groups are fully represented , it would be unfair for El-Rufai to go ahead with demolition of their houses.

” We are appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to impress it on Governor El-Rufai , the need to change his mind over the planned demolition. ” He urged.