Residents of Karji, Ungwan Waziri, Baban Saura, Ungwan Maijero, old Kamazou and Janruwa communities in Chikun local government of Kaduna state have sought for a meeting with Governor Nasir el-Rufai over the planned demolition of 300 houses in their communities.
Bulldozers and pay loaders reportedly romped into their communities on Friday, pulling down fences and parts of buildings allegedly built on supposed government land meant for housing estate, on the orders of el-Rufai.
The dmolition, they alleged, followed a week ultimatum handed to owners of containerised shops to move them away.
Addressing the media on Sunday, one of the representatives of the residents and a senior pastor with Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) Goodnews Karji, Reverend Musa Istifanus, said they were appealing for dialogue with the state government to know who made mistake, what the mistake was and how to resolve the issue because government has not spoken with them directly or through any emissary.
“We were taken aback by what happened late Thursday night to early Friday morning when the demolition started. We wondered who ordered the demolition asked questions but there was no answer. But from the look of things, all fingers point to government.
“We are making appeal that government should give us audience so that we can sit down and talk over this issue because government exists for the people. We have for long acquired land, registered with necessary authorities that enabled us build our houses. We want government to tell us what we did wrong so that we can make amends.
“Government is all about people. We don’t want to create right, we are appealing so that we can be given the chance to make right what we did wrong and if it is government that is wrong we can say it. This government is our government, we don’t want to confront government and we don’t want government to confront us.”
Also speaking, another resident, Alhaji Mustapha Mohammed, called for dialogue with government to know what they did wrong and find a lasting solution that would satisfy all parties.
