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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
A group, under the auspices of Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiative (CGGCI), has petitioned the United States of America (USA), European Union (EU), China and other international community over the insensitive demolition carried out by the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf.
In the petition signed by its national coordinator, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, the coalition also demanded that visa ban be clamped on the governor and his family members over his “anti-democratic activities and human rights violation.
“The petition, dated July 7, 2023, titled, “Violation of human rights and anti-democratic actions of Mr. Abba Yusuf, the Executive Governor of Kano State, an urgent call for Visa Ban” was received and acknowledged by the offices and embassies of the countries in Abuja.
The acknowledged copies of the petition, made available to newsmen in Abuja yesterday, claimed that during the demolition exercise, lives were lost in the state which is a serious concern to the group as a civil society organisation.
The petition read in part: “We write to formally bring to your table, anti-democratic activities and human rights violation orchestrated by the Executive Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf who was inaugurated on the 29th May, 2023.
“Exactly six days after his assumption of office, Abba Yusuf ordered massive demolition of properties belonging to Kano State indigenes and investors who had committed their hard-earned resources in purchasing landed property in Kano metropolis.
“Our investigation revealed that, the previous administration had allocated lands to individuals and corporate bodies who legally applied for land in Kano State. Some of whom the lands were allocated to had sold to other interested parties and had transferred ownership with evidence of financial payment to the State Government treasury.
“In one of the plots, a 90-room hotel was built at the cost of over N10 billion, an investment that is to create job opportunity for the unemployed youths in Kano State, serves as a resort, and a conversion of a criminal hideout into a befitting business environment. It is sad that Governor Abba Yusuf within six days in office demolished it without following due process.”
Lamenting further, the group wrote that; “Governor Abba Yusuf also demolished, without due process, a 90-shop plaza already completed in Kano metropolis. He went further and demolished a beautiful roundabout designed and built by a female architect living abroad, an indigene of Kano State to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Kano State which cost about N160 million. Governor Abba Yusuf and his state officials also demolished properties of a China-based Nigerian who acquired land and developed same in Kano State using his life savings. He is an indigene of Kano State.
“In addition, houses of people perceived to have been allocated land by the administration of the former governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, were demolished without any provocation. As at today, Governor Abba Yusuf has demolished property worth over N206 billion with almost every home crying in Kano metropolis.”
The group urged the US, EU and other nations to place visa ban on Governor Abba Yusuf and all Kano State officials.
“At the moment, the visa ban is the only measure that could call the governor to order and indeed prevail on him to practice democracy in a democratic manner,” the coalition prayed in the petition.
