BREAKING: Four Killed As Residents, Security Operatives Clash Over House Demolition In Kano

Four individuals were reportedly killed on Monday in Rimin Auzinawa, located within the Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano State, following a violent confrontation with security forces regarding the demolition of properties.

Reports obtained by Naijaonpoint revealed that the victims were shot by security personnel after local residents reacted to the destruction of their homes.

Daily Trust quoted sources as noting that the Kano Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA) had marked for demolition approximately 40 residential buildings in the construction process.

The land in question is said to be owned by Bayero University, Kano (BUK).

One resident affected by the demolition, who requested anonymity, stated that KNUPDA had previously approved the properties, asserting that they were not situated on university land.

“We resolved all issues with KNUPDA. They assured us our properties were not within BUK land. But on Sunday night, officials of KNUPDA, 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 said.

Efforts by reporters to get an official response from KNUPDA were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

However, journalists who visited KNUPDA’s office noted that the building was largely deserted. A staff member attributed the absence of key officials to fear of reprisals.

“There is tension in the office. That’s why the car parks are empty and no senior officials are present. Only junior staff are here, with no clear directive on what to do,” the official said.

A senior director from KNUPDA, the sole high-ranking official present, asserted that the demolition was not executed by KNUPDA, but instead by a task force from the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning.

An anonymous official from the ministry corroborated that the land is owned by BUK and guaranteed that the government would release an official statement in the near future.