Victims of the 2023 demolition of shops at the Kofar Mata Eid prayer ground in Kano have appealed to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for financial assistance to rebuild their businesses, following the allocation of 75 shops to the affected traders.
The traders, who commended the governor and the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, for facilitating the allocation, lamented that many of their members lacked the financial resources to develop the allocated spaces and return to business.
Chairman of the Association of Shop Owners at the Eid prayer ground, Auwal Sa’id Umar, made the appeal on Saturday during a special prayer session organised by the victims in appreciation of the intervention by the state government.
Umar disclosed that the 75 shops represented 25 per cent of the land earmarked for the affected traders, describing the allocation as a significant step towards addressing the hardship suffered by victims of the demolition.
He, however, stressed that the intervention would have limited impact unless the beneficiaries received financial support to construct their shops and revive their businesses.
“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.
He particularly applauded Emir Sanusi II for writing to the state government to seek land allocation and compensation for the affected traders, describing the royal intervention as instrumental in securing the government’s attention.
According to him, several traders have continued to struggle financially since the demolition, while some have died without recovering from the losses incurred.
“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 pleaded.
The association chairman explained that the prayer gathering was organised to mark the completion of 111 recitations of the Holy Qur’an and offer special prayers for the emir and the governor in recognition of their efforts to alleviate the suffering of the victims.
He maintained that the affected traders were not ungrateful for the government’s intervention but insisted that allocating land without providing the necessary financial support would leave many beneficiaries unable to resume their economic activities.
The shops at the Kofar Mata Eid prayer ground were demolished in June 2023, shortly after Governor Yusuf assumed office, as part of the administration’s demolition of structures considered illegally erected across Kano metropolis.
The exercise, which affected several commercial properties, generated widespread controversy, with reports of destruction of goods and looting by hoodlums.
The affected traders subsequently approached the court to challenge the demolition and seek compensation for their losses.
In September 2023, a Federal High Court sitting in Kano ordered the state government to pay ₦30 billion in compensation to the affected shop owners.
Meanwhile, Umar pledged the association’s political support for Governor Yusuf’s re-election bid in 2027, claiming that the traders and their business associates possessed the capacity to mobilise at least 500,000 votes for the governor.
“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,” he declared.
He assured the governor of the association’s continued loyalty and support, while urging the administration to extend further assistance to traders who were yet to recover from the economic consequences of the demolition.
Umar expressed optimism that additional government intervention would enable the affected traders to rebuild their shops, restore their livelihoods and provide for their families.
