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EXCLUSIVE: Kano gov’t seizes Emir Sanusi’s N250m land, pays monarch N4.5m compensation
Dawud Nazifi & Jaafar Jaafar
The Kano State Government has seized a plot of land worth N250 million belonging to the Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi II and approved a peanut N4.5 million as compensation to the monarch.
There is crisis between Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and the emir, which culminated in whittling the influence of the latter by creation of four additional emirates and first-class emirs in Bichi, Rano, Karaye and Gaya.
A Kano High Court had last week nullified the law that created the emirates and the emirs, triggering fears that the judgement might trigger the simmering crisis.
A joint investigation by DAILY NIGERIAN and KANO FOCUS newspapers revealed that the land, located at Ibrahim Dabo Road, was seized while its fences and other structures were demolished to pave way for the ongoing flyover and underpass bridge being constructed at the Dangi Roundabout area.
Our correspondents report that the seizure and subsequent demolition of structures within the land as well as the fence surrounding the property, was personally supervised by the state Commissioner of Works, Engineer Muaz Magaji, on Friday, 15 November, 2015.
The uncompleted part of the Dangi flyover
Emir Sanusi’s percel of land
Officials of the state land ministry who spoke to our correspondents on the condition of anonymity said the emir purchased the 1.2 hectare land in 2010 at the cost of N200 million.
According to them, the land was recently valued at N250 million at commercial rate, but the state government insisted that payment would be made in accordance with statutory land rate.
It was learnt that Mr Magaji, accompanied by a large group of armed thugs, led other officials of his ministry to Mr Sanusi’s land, where he personally mounted a Grade D9 bulldozer and demolished a section of the fence surrounding the land.
Another view of the Emir’s demolished land plot
Our correspondents gathered that before Mr Magaji embarked on the demolition, he had asked the Emir to send a representative to witness the exercise—a request Mr Sanusi obeyed by sending the district head of Garko to represent him.
According to eyewitnesses, after the commissioner pulled down a sizeable portion of the monarch’s fence in the presence of his representative, he then reportedly ordered the waiting group of armed hoodlums to pillage the facility.
The witnesses added that Mr Magaji also turned around and directed the bulldozer to a collection of shop buildings beside the uncompleted bridge and knocked down a part of the structures, before also reportedly directing the thugs to take their “booty”, saying all compensations have been paid to the owners.
When contacted, the Chief of Staff of to the emir, Munir Sanusi, declined comment on matter, saying the emir had not given him clearance to speak on the matter.
However, palace sources said the emir is yet to receive any payment from the government as compensation for the parcel of land, through which the overhead bridge will pass through.
But in a phone interview with our correspondent, the commissioner claimed that the state government had paid compensation to the emir.
“I can tell you he got the alert. For eight months, this issue has stalled the project, and this project is for public interest.
“We were even hoping that the Emir would give us the land for free to continue with the work. But since he did not give it to us, we decided to engage to services of valuers who valued it according to the statutory land rate because the government does not engage in commercial purchase,” he said.
The commissioner also confirmed that he personally mounted the Grade D9 bulldozer to pull down the said the structures.
He explained that the state government has also paid compensation to all other property owners whose structures were affected by the flyover project.
Umar bin Khattab mosque authorities also cry out
Similarly, Malam Muazu Shuaibu, the Secretary-General of Islamic Foundation—a non-governmental organization which owns the plots of land hosting the shops affected by the bridge project, also accused the state government of snatching their land without due compensation.
Mr Shuaibu explained that the shops were leased out to developers on a Build Operate and Transfer, BOT arrangement for a period of 20 years with the aim of generating funds to maintain the Umar Bin Khattab mosque.
A section of the site where shops near the Dangi flyover were pulled down. The land plots belong to Islamic Foundation–Managers of the Umar Bin Khattab Mosque
Another section where shops were also destroyed
He said officials of the state government had approached them when the bridge project started and told them that an assessment had shown that the work would affect their land.
“They sent valuers to make an assessment on what amount to give to each allotee. But we told them that they cannot proceed with the demolition until payments have been made to the beneficiaries.
“So, they asked us to forward our account numbers but we said no, we cannot forward account numbers until they give the figures they would pay to each allotee.
“After so much delay, the government officials later sent the figures which we shared with our developers before finally submitting account numbers and the government officials asked us to wait for payment,” he said.
Mr Shuaibu said as the Islamic Foundation and the property developers waited for the payment, he received a letter signed by Dahiru A’da’u, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Works, asking for cooperation to acquire the land plots.
“Based on the need for the timely completion of this important project for the benefit of the teeming members of the populace of the state, I write to inform your good office that this ministry has scheduled to acquire the designated portion and continue with the execution of works,” the letter read in part.
“Accordingly, work shall commence in earnest on Friday, 15 November, 2019. It is in the light of the foregoing that I’m soliciting your usual cooperation on the successful, timely completion of the project, which will solve a number of traffic related problems in our great city.”
He further explained that immediately after he received the letter, he had an announcement that compensations have been paid and property owners were given 24 hours to evacuate the shops.
“I contacted the developers to know if any of them had received an alert but all of them said they did not receive alerts. In less than the 24 hours given, the commissioner came personally and started demolishing part of the shops and then asked thugs to take everything they want as booty, claiming that they had paid compensation,” he said.
Nasiru Yusuf
Kano state governor Abdullahi Ganduje said his administration has trained 5,504 constabulary to support community policing.
KANO FOCUS reports that Ganduje revealed this on Sunday while inaugurating Rano Emirate community policing committees in Doguwa local government area.
The governor explained how community policing strategy goes deeply into the fabric of Kano society, as a political entity.
While enumerating reasons behind the recorded achievements in the security of the state, governor said, “Our administration found it necessary to support community participation in the security of our state.”
“We have gone further by recruiting Police constabulary, who are assisting the security agencies. And also we are assisting the various community policing committees.
“We trained in Kaduna 704 graduates of Police Constabulary. Also for each of the rural local governments, the 36 local governments, we are training 100 Police constabulary. Making a total of 3,600 Police constabulary.”
“For the 8 metropolitan, local governments we are training 150 in each of the 8 local governments. Giving rise to 1,200 Police Constabulary. Having a total of 4,800 Police Constabulary in addition to 704 that have already been trained. Which all stands at 5,504 Police Constabulary now at hand.”
“Community participation, apart from community policing is necessary for us to achieve a desirable situation from all ramifications. As such, we are also inviting corporate social responsibility in the management of security situation in Kano state.”
Part of the factors that played an important role in the security situation in the state, he acknowledged and appreciated that, “Our security agencies have succeeded in building full synergy among themselves. And we have extended coordination in order to get security information and action in Kano state.
“We have to thank the Police, the Department for State Security (DSS), the Air Force, the Army, the Civil Defence (NSCDC), Immigration, Customs and Excise, Correctional Homes, traditional institutions, National Agency for the for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP), the Vigilante Groups, representatives of various communities, we have to thank them all. They are all contributing to the security situation in Kano state.”
Mr Ganduje he stressed that, “There is no doubt security is an issue of topical nature in Nigeria. Is an issue that bothers almost everybody, all governments in Nigeria. And is an issue that we must come altogether in order to solve it.
“We can see the effort of our security agencies that are working round the clock in order to keep Nigeria safe. In Kano state we are also conscious of the security of our state. Therefore we developed various strategies in order to secure Kano state.”
“First of all we examined the issue of metropolitan, Kano being a metropolitan city and a mega city, we have taken necessary steps in order to ensure the security of our own mega city.”
“We built what we call Security Dormitories on the major entrance of metropolitan Kano. That each of the dormitories houses 600 policemen. And also we have developed CCTV programme.
“Which is working very well. While the control room is with our security agencies. We have other technology employed in order to check security issues.”
In his remarks, the Emir of Rano, Kabiru Inuwa Muhammad, commended the effort being put by governor Ganduje in securing all parts of the state, with the Divine help from Almighty Allah.
He said, “Today is a historic day that we cannot forget. All our people are happy with this special event taking place in our Emirate, Rano Emirate. We are always ready to cooperate with your policies and programmes Your Excellency Sir. Especially this issue of community policing.”
Nasiru Yusuf
Kano state has the highest sickle cell patients in Nigeria, a consultant haematologist at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital said.
KANO FOCUS reports that Dalha Halliru Gwarzo disclosed this in an interview with Hospital’s newsletter as part of the 2021 World Sickle Cell day.
He added that Lagos is the second state with highest number of sickle cell cases in the country.
Mr Gwarzo said India, Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria constituted 90% of the sickle cell patients worldwide.
On the causes of sickle cell disease, Mr Gwarzo said it is a genetic inherited disease from parents who are either SS, or AS genotype as a result of genetic condition or mutation of abnormal form of red blood cell.
He advocated for compulsory screening of infants after birth and school children, pre-marital counseling/tests, subsidising cost of medication/treatment and mass sensitisation campaign on dangers of the disease.
Mr Gwarzo noted that, although there is no known cure for sickle cell disease, but developed countries are using a high technology for manipulation of the genetic cells by bone marrow and stem cells transplant, which cost about fifteen million Naira in countries like United States, Germany, United Kingdom and Canada.
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