The reinstated chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Rimingado, has admitted that he is also a beneficiary of one of the ‘illegal structures’ marked for demolition.
He admitted that the immediate-past governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje, allocated one of the plots to him but later sold it.
Mr Rimingado, who is also a member of a committee established by Governor Abba Yusuf to demolish ‘illegal structures’ in the state, confirmed to Daily Trust that he was allocated a plot around the area marked for demolition.
The state government had last week marked additional properties for demolition, including the one allocated to Mr Rimingado by his former principal.
Among them are plazas and filling stations located along the popular BUK road, as well as property built on the demolished Kano City Wall land.
One of the owners of the affected structure, Isma’ila Bello, had claimed that he bought the plot from Mr Rimingado at the cost of N15million.
Mr Bello also accused the state government of double standards in the ongoing demolition exercise.
He said some of the properties marked for demolition were “legally” acquired from individuals with connection with the incumbent government.
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“We woke up yesterday and saw red paint marked on our properties. This thing that the government is doing is not the way out. A leader protects the lives and property of his people. That place was given to big men in the state at that time.
“His [Rimingado] plot was number 25 opposite Gidauniya, just by Hauren Shanu. And if you are talking about Badala, Gidan Murtala building was built on Badala, and other buildings beside it are all on Badala.
“There is no reason [for the demolition] and it does not make sense. They are marked for demolishing because we got it from the previous government,” Mr Bello had said.
He further alleged that there are properties that have not been marked along the site because they belong to people who are close to the government.
When contacted, Mr Rimingado said he stands by the position he expressed on Trust TV on the buildings marked for demolition at Salanta and that it was mischievous for anyone to try to use the recent development to cast aspersions on him and the government.
He, however, maintained that the plot was not within or built on the Kano ancient wall.
“Marking for demolition is a different thing as it is not within a school, place of worship, or hospital. As far as I am concerned, the governor can allocate a plot of land for anyone, but a governor cannot issue a public space for anyone. I stand by my position,” he added.
