A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has ordered the Kano State government to pay N30 billion as compensation to shop owners whose structures were demolished at Kofar Mata Eid praying ground in Kano city.
The applicants – Incorporated Trustees of Masallacin Idi Shop Owners, Traders Association and 56 others – through their counsel Dr Nuraddeen Ayagi, prayed the court for the compensation.
They filed a motion ex parte seeking the enforcement of their fundamental rights, right to own properties, and damages against the State government for demolishing their shops.
The respondents in the suit are Kano State government, Kano State Urban Development Authority, the Attorney General of Kano State, Nigeria Police Force, the AIG Zone 1, Commissioner of Police, Kano.
Others are Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and NSCDC Kano Commandant.
The presiding Judge, Justice Simon Amobeda, held that the Kano State government and seven other respondents’ action of forcefully demolishing and vandalising the applicants’ shops without due process of law is illegal and unconstitutional.
“The demolishing violates the applicants’ right to own property, right to life cum livelihood and right to dignity of human face as unprofessional,” the judge said.
Amobeda, therefore, ordered the first to third respondents to jointly pay the applicants the sum of N10 billion as general damages for violation of their fundamental right to life and ownership of property as guaranteed by law.
“I hereby order the respondents to also pay the applicants additional sum of N20 billion for punitive and exemplary damages,” Amobeda said.
The respondents, as of Friday night, were yet to react to the judgment.
* NAN