Sani urges El-Rufai to rescind planned demolition of Gbyagi community

Following plans by the Kaduna State Government to demolish Gbagyi Villa community, rights activist and senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, yesterday appealed to Governor Nasir El-Rufai to reconsider the decision to avoid rendering over 10,000 residents homeless.

Sani and some aides from the Senate paid a touring visit to the disputed land between the people of Gbagyi villa and Kaduna Polytechnic, urging the State Government to play a mediating role between the residents of Gbagyi Villa and the Management of Kaduna Polytechnic, a federal tertiary institution in order to douse the tension in the State generated by the threat of demolition of houses in the community.

While addressing members of the Gbyagi Villa community, Senator Sani said “we are in a democracy, people have the fundamental right to say no. The State government is simply meddling into what it ought not to meddle into. You cannot meddle into where you don’t have jurisdiction. It is very wrong for anybody to do that”. A former legislator in the Kaduna House of Assembly and former commissioner in the State, Mrs. Maria Dogo in her address said that members of the community never encroached into the Polytechnic’s land, pointing out “there was misunderstanding during the time of late Governor Patrick Yakowa which was resolved”.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Gbyagi Villa Community, Mr. Chris Obudumun commended Senator Sani for intervening in the controversy, while assuring that the people in the community will continue to live peacefully with their neighbours.