Women, children protest government's plan to demolish homes

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July 29, 2016 2:22 PM

Hundreds of women and children in Kaduna State yesterday took to the streets in protest of a proposed demolition of 3500 homes at Gbagyi community

Women, children protest government's plan to demolish homes

The state government, headed by Gov. Nasir El-Rufai, insists, despite a restraining order granted against his government, that the place was illegally occupied by ‘criminals,’ and that no one there could produce a valid Certificate of Occupancy as required by Law...

The land, allegedly belonging to Federal Polytechnic, Kaduna, inhabits the Gbagyi villa community, which has about 35, 000 people dwelling in it.

Plans underway, if carried out, will see 3,500 houses, 40 churches and 16 schools all demolished.

The children and women in that community have now trooped into the streets of Kaduna metropolis, in a show of displeasure at what the governor is trying to do.

The protesters carried placards with words such as ‘We are not criminals,’ ‘El-Rufai came to power through rule-of-law; respect it,’ ‘El-Rufai cannot be the accuser and judge,’ etc.

Chris Abba, Chairman of Gbagyi Villa Property Owners Association, says almost every property in Ggagyi villa has valid building permits from Kaduna State Urban Planning Development Authority, KASUPDA, despite the fact that it is an uncommon thing for Property owners in the state to get any form of permit whatsoever.

"If it is not this week the governor may have issued a C-of-O for his father’s house in Zaria, we challenge him to produce one.

"There are ulterior motives behind his insistence to effect this demolition,” he says.

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