Kano Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA) has denied involvement in the demolition of structures at the Holborn market (Bompai Market) as alleged.
Recalls that 188 shop owners at the Holborn market (Bompai New Market) had dragged Kano Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA) and Kano State Investment and Property (KSIP) to court to restrain the two agencies from taking over the shops or demolishing same.
Subsequent upon this, the plaintiffs’ Lawyer Abba Hikima wrote an application for issuance of criminal summons addressed to the Registrar, Kano State Magistrate’s court against the Managing Directors of KNUPDA, KSIP, AbdulWahab Sulaiman and Jibrila Mohammed respectively.
With the allegation of destruction and looting of the plaintiffs’ shops on 10th October, 2022 by the two managing directors acting personally and through their agents and privies.
And on 18th October, a Chief Magistrate Court presided by Halima Aliyu Nasir ordered Kano Commissioner of Police to investigate case.
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Reacting to the matter, on Friday, the managing director, Kano Urban Planning and Development Authority, AbdulWahab Sulaiman out rightly denied the agency’s involvement in the destruction of the said shops.
Sulaiman told SOLACEBASE in an interview that the market was leased by his agency from Kano State Investment and Property (KSIP) for ten years, and in the same vain enter into an agreement with investors in the market for same period of time.
‘’We gave out the place to the traders also for ten years and before the lease elapsed , we notified the tenants that it was not going to be renewed as we intend to return the ownership of the market back to KSIP, which we have done, KNUPDA , ‘’Managing Director said.
‘’I was informed by my director that the agreement KNUPDA had with the investors at the market lapsed over a year ago, as the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was for ten years.’’
‘’This was even after eleven years as against the ten years lease we got from KSIP.’’
According to him, he asked the director, why the land was not returned to KSIP agreed upon in the lease which was for ten years.
‘’I immediately set up a committee headed by director market, as chairman, director legal, as secretary and director, urban planning who were also members of the committee when we leased the land from KSIP.’’
‘’The committee then advised that we return the land to KSIP as it was long overdue, which we did immediately.’’
The managing director said the land was handed over back to KSIP and there was no complain from either KSIP or the investors.
‘’Hence looking at the scenario, the Holborn market was out of our control long before now as we have return the property to the rightful owner of the land.’’
‘’So just some few days ago I read in the news online that myself and the managing director of KSIP should be investigated.
‘’I later learnt that the market was demolished, we are not party to that and I am not aware of the demolition.’’
When asked about the alleged looting of property in the market, the managing director, said since he was not aware of any demolition, how can he be in the knowhow of those behind the looting?
SOLACEBASE efforts to get a reaction from the KSIP, Managing Director, Jibrila Mohammed proved abortive as his phone line was not connecting.
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