A demolition exercise in Rimin Auzinawa, Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano State, turned deadly as four individuals were reportedly shot and killed during a confrontation between residents and security operatives.
The incident occurred when security personnel opened fire after locals resisted the demolition of their properties.
According to an eyewitness, the Kano Urban Planning and Development Authority had previously marked the affected buildings, mostly residential structures under construction for demolition.
It was reported that around 40 buildings were affected, with the disputed land allegedly belonging to Bayero University, Kano.
However, a resident affected by the exercise, who spoke anonymously, claimed that KNUPDA had initially cleared their properties, assuring them they were not encroaching on the university’s land.
“We resolved all issues with KNUPDA. They assured us our properties were not within BUK land. But on Sunday night, officials of KNUPDA and security operatives arrived and demolished the buildings.
“When people resisted, security forces opened fire, killing four individuals who have now been buried. It’s a tragic situation,” the source lamented.
Attempts to get an official response from KNUPDA proved futile, as efforts to reach the agency’s Managing Director were unsuccessful. His phone remained unreachable.
Confirming the incident, Kano State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Haruna, referred inquiries to the spokesperson of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in the state.
NSCDC’s Public Relations Officer, Ibrahim Abdullahi, also confirmed the clash but did not disclose the number of casualties or injured persons.
He explained that multiple security agencies, including the police, Department of State Security, and NSCDC, had been deployed to secure the demolition process.
“There were representatives of the police, DSS, and NSCDC who were invited to provide security. But our people acted professionally, and when the situation degenerated, they tactfully withdrew.
“The residents who were not happy about the demolition started stoning security operatives who were there to provide security,”* he added.
The situation has raised tensions in the area, with affected residents demanding justice for those killed.
