Kaduna Governor demolishes senator’s house; Our soldiers not involved in demolition — Army

The All Progressives Congress, APC, Secretariat, a building said to be owned by Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, along Sambo Road, Kaduna, demolished yesterday by the Kaduna State Government. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

The lingering crisis in Kaduna State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, worsened yesterday after a building located in the heart of Kaduna city, belonging to a leader of one of the two factions, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, was pulled down by the state government. 

Senator Hunkuyi, whose faction, last week, suspended Governor Nasir El-Rufai from the party, immediately, accused the governor of instigating the action, saying the building was used as the campaign office for Governor El-Rufai and also as the state headquarters of the APC. The senator, however, vowed that the action of the governor would not demoralise him.

The Senate in a sharp reaction, condemned the move upon a motion on the issue brought by Senator Shehu Sani who on his part called on President Muhammadu Buhari to rein in the Kaduna governor.

The Kaduna State Government, while acknowledging the demolition, said the building was pulled down upon failure of the owner to pay ground rent since 2010 and for public nuisance, including attracting political thugs. The building had reportedly been put to the use of the APC faction to which Hunkuyi belongs and from where the suspension order on the governor was issued.

The one-storey building, located along Sambo Road in Ungwar Rimi, was pulled down in the early hours of yesterday by a team from Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency, KAPSUDA, in company of heavily armed military and police men. The government said a revocation order was issued out of Kaduna Geographic Information Services, KADGIS, but did not say when the notice was given. 

News of the demolition gained attention after a tweet from Hunkuyi on the incident. In his tweet, the Kaduna North senator, who has had recurring fallouts and reconciliations with El-Rufai, said: “It is on record that few months back, @GovKaduna Mallam @elrufai marked another property of mine in Hunkuyi town for demolition, but residents of the area prevented the officials from demolishing it. Today, he came well prepared with military men to destroy my house at Sambo Road.”

Justifying the demolition yesterday, the Director General of Kaduna Geographic Information Services, KADGIS, Ibrahim Husseini, said the “illegal violation of land use had begun to distress neighbours who were being forced to endure an influx of thugs and blockage of the road.” The statement read: “The Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KAPSUDA) is currently undertaking operations across Kaduna metropolis in compliance with its mandate. In partnership with sister agencies, KASUPDA is clearing illegal structures, tackling street hawking and restoring order across Kaduna. 

“This morning, (yesterday) a building on 11B Sambo Close was removed for flagrant violations of land use and non-payment of ground rent since 2010. This illegal violation of use had begun to distress neighbours who were being forced to endure an influx of thugs and blockage of the road.