Reactions as Kaduna agency demolishes illegal structures

The Kaduna State Urban and Planning Development Authority (KASUPDA) has embarked on the demolition of ‘illegal structures’.

To many concerned residents and stakeholders, this action, though legal, has come at a very critical time when the victims and other Nigerians are groaning as a result of the raging hyperinflation and other economic conundrums.

A cross-section of the victims and residents spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondents in Kaduna.

“This demolition is just like adding salt to an injury.

“Such obnoxious actions are capable of aggravating insecurity in the state and the country in general,” one resident said.

Aliyu Sahabi, a former shop owner at the popular NAF Junction, told NAN, “We are really now very confused as I have been operating here for close to two decades.

“As for the elderly people like us, some of us can be patient, ensure and bottle up whatever we are feeling after this demolition.

“Our concern is mainly the youths among us as some of them can stray, revert to crimes and other anti-social activities.”

Another victim, Raliya Muhammad, called on the state government to provide them with alternative spaces to reconvene their trading activities.

However, the regulatory authority, KASUPDA, has insisted that its action was aimed at sanitising the city and restoring its original master plan.

This is contained in a statement titled, “Commencement of the Removal of Temporary and Informal Activities in Kaduna Metropolis.”

This was announced in a press release issued by Nuhu Garba, the authority’s assistant director of the public affairs unit.

According to him, the affected areas were: NDA bus stop, U/Dosa area, Kawo area, Mando roundabout, Rabah road, NAF Club gate and Katuru road.
Others are Isa Kaita Road, Alkali Road, Babban Saura area (Millennium City), T/Wada area, Barnawa and High-Cost Junction axis, among others.

He said, “The action followed after public announcements on media, sensitisation visits and stakeholders’ engagement meetings.

“These were in order to give the affected people ample time to remove their properties as well to vacate from those places.”

Mr Garba also said the exercise had achieved some success in urban planning and city beautification.

He added, “Such erection of shops, containers, kiosks and signage without approvals as well as the display of wares or goods on road set-backs were a source of concern to the environmental hazard, traffic congestion and security threat in the state.

“At the points of the enforcement exercise, some of the defaulters confirmed that the authority had informed them.

“But, they stressed that poverty, socio-economic hardship in the country,non-completion of the modern markets development project, exorbitant price of shops in the markets and neighbourhood centres made resort to such acts.

“Other reasons advanced included the high rate of unemployment and security challenges as factors that led them to do such informal activities along the road set-backs in the state.

“Others upheld and understood that such places were not meant for the businesses in operation but maintained that they have no other option.”

According to Mr Garba, a lot of the victims have appealed to the government for alternative places to enable them carry out their legal business activities before vacating the demolished areas.

He, however, said that KASUPDA has again requested their usual cooperation to ensure urban sanity and a secure environment in the state.

(NAN)