By Aliyu Dangida
The Chairman, Kano Public Complaint and Anti Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Rimingado along side other prominent personalities have been indicted in illegal land scandal.
Owners of lands and buildings around BUK road marked for demolition by the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf made the ‘indicting statement on Saturday barely hours after the area was marked for demolition.
Hotpen recalled that the government through the Kano State Urban Planning and Development Agency, KNUPDA had at the late hours of Friday marked some houses along BUK road and Badala area around the old Kano city wall for demolition.
An owner of lands and Secretary of BUK Audi properties forum, Alhaji Isma’ila Bello alleged that they bought their lands where they’ve erected shops from the anti-graft agency chairman, Rimingado who is currently spearheading the demolition exercise.
Bello, a resident of Sabuwar Kofa, said, “We woke up yesterday and see red paint marked on our properties. This thing that the government is doing is not the way out. A leader protects the lives and properties of his people.
“We did not buy any land from the government, anybody you see there with land was allocated to him. That place was given to big men in the state at that time.
“There are people like the late Bashir Tofa, Wada Aliyu Gaya, Abdulazeez the son of Ganduje, other influential people and there is Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado whom we bought our land from. We are selling cars there now and he is the person behind the demolition today.
“Muhiyi’s plot was number 25 opposite Gidauniya just by Hauren Shanu. And if you are talking about Badala, Gidan Murtala building was built on Badala and other buildings beside it are all on Badala.
“There is no reason and it does not make sense because we got it from the previous government that it should be demolished,” Bello said.
He alleged that there are properties that have not been marked along the site because they are close to the government.
“If you go further to those shops facing BUK, three belong to Kwankwaso, Ganduje has one, Rabiu Suleiman Bichi has one. I know them and can point them.
“We believe and accept that the Governor is our leader, he should look at this critically.
“We are doing business and fending for ourselves. There is no reason for chasing us out. The Governor should not be biased in his leadership.
“If the government insisted, we are going to Court and we will protect our properties.
“Where I am was a pond that has taken so many lives. I bought it from Gwaggo the wife of the late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, the in-law of former Emir, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and the deposed emir gave her the place.
“I went to her house in her sitting room and bought it. I came back and filled it with sand. We demolished Badala inside the pond and found out that some youth have created a room inside. We found guns and other dangerous weapons. The police at zone one are aware. They took the items. The residents there thanked me immensely for that.
“I am not the only one doing business there, the people that are earning living there are more than a thousand.
“When I saw the Governor passing the place yesterday my heart beats. When he comes back and passed, we saw KNUPDA. They told us that it’s the Governor that called on phone and asked why Badala has not been touched yet. But he was selective in the places to be demolished. If they will do justice to everybody, then they should start from Gidan Murtala down to Kofar Ruwa,” Bello said.
Contacted, the reinstated anti corruption boss, Muhiyi Magaji Rimigado couldn’t not answered calls put to his phone neither responded to voice message as at the time of filling in this report.
