Some people have been killed in Kano State following a violent clash with security operatives over the demolition of properties.
The incident took place in Rimin Auzinawa, Ungogo Local Government Area of the state.
Reports indicate that four people lost their lives in the clash, allegedly shot by security personnel when they tried to resist the destruction of their properties.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident began when officials from the Kano Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA), accompanied by security forces, arrived in the community on Sunday night to demolish several buildings. The affected structures, estimated at 40, were mostly residential buildings under construction.
Residents claim that the land in question belongs to Bayero University, Kano (BUK), but they had earlier received assurances from KNUPDA that their properties were not on the university’s land.
“We resolved all issues with KNUPDA. They assured us our properties were not within BUK land. But on Sunday night, officials of KNUPDA and security operatives arrived and demolished the buildings.
“When people resisted, security forces opened fire, killing four individuals who have now been buried. It’s a tragic situation,” the source said.
At the KNUPDA office, it was nearly empty, with most senior officials absent.
“There is tension in the office. That’s why the car parks are empty and no senior officials are present. Only junior staff are here, with no clear directive on what to do,” a staff member explained.
Meanwhile, a senior KNUPDA director denied the agency’s involvement in the demolition, stating that it was carried out by a task force from the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning.
