Kano gives 75 shops to traders affected by Eid ground demolition

File: A cross-section of the association's members at the prayer season held on Saturday in Kano

The Kano State Government has allocated 75 shops to traders affected by the 2023 demolition at the Kofar Mata Eid prayer ground, the chairman of the Association of Shop Owners at the ground, Auwal Sa’id Umar, has said.

Umar disclosed this on Saturday during a prayer gathering at the Eid ground, explaining that the allocation represented 25 per cent of the land earmarked for the affected traders.

He expressed gratitude to the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, for writing to the state government to seek land allocation and compensation for the victims of the demolition.

Umar also thanked Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for the intervention but appealed for additional assistance, saying many affected traders could not afford to build shops and resume their businesses.

He said the gathering was organised to mark the completion of 111 recitations of the Holy Quran and offer prayers for the emir and the governor in appreciation of their efforts on behalf of the traders.

“We are deeply grateful for what has been done for us. We thank His Royal Highness the Emir and His Excellency the Governor for showing us compassion,” Umar said.

However, he appealed to the governor to provide further support, noting that many affected traders lacked the financial means to rebuild their businesses despite the allocation.

“We are all his people, his subjects. We appeal to His Excellency the Governor out of his compassion because many of us do not have the means to build on this site,” he said.

• Kwankwasiyya supporters protest over NDC candidate’s omission
• FULL LIST: Lagos, Rivers, 10 other states Tinubu may join APC rallies
• Police arrest two teenagers, recover pistol in Kano

Umar explained that many members depended entirely on their businesses to provide for their families, adding that some affected traders had died since the demolition, leaving their families in difficult circumstances.

The development follows the demolition of shops at the Kofar Mata Eid prayer ground in June 2023, shortly after Yusuf assumed office. The exercise formed part of the administration’s wider demolition of structures it considered illegal within the Kano metropolis. Reports at the time also documented the destruction of shops and the looting of goods by hoodlums.

The demolition prompted affected traders to seek compensation through the courts. In September 2023, a Federal High Court in Kano ordered the state government to pay ₦30bn in compensation to the shop owners.

Umar said the traders remained grateful for the steps taken to address their concerns but maintained that additional support was necessary to help more victims return to business and restore their livelihoods.

He also expressed confidence that the association and people connected to the traders’ businesses could contribute significantly to the governor’s support base ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

“I give His Excellency the Governor the good news that from the people of the Eid ground alone, at a minimum, we will give him 500,000 votes. That is the minimum,” Umar said.

He pledged the association’s support for Yusuf in 2027 while urging the government to consider the plight of traders who were still unable to recover from the demolition.