Traders who lost properties to the demolition of hundreds of shops at Kofar-Mata Eid prayer ground in Kano have appealed for financial assistance to rebuild their businesses.

The victims made the appeal on Saturday during a special prayer session organized by the leadership of the market.

Addressing journalists at the occasion, Chairman of the Association, Auwal Sa’id Umar, though applauded the reallocation of 75 shops back to the victims, he insisted the intervention is compelling after the loss of their investment.

While applauding Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, for facilitating the allocation, he lamented that many of their members lacked the financial resources to develop the allocated property.

Umar disclosed that the 75 shops represented 25 per cent of the land earmarked for the affected traders; he maintained that the step towards addressing the hardship suffered by victims of the demolition is pertinent.

He stressed that the intervention would have limited impact unless the beneficiaries received financial support to rebuild their shops and revive their businesses.

According to him, several traders have continued to struggle financially since the demolition, while some have died without recovering from the losses incurred.

“We are deeply grateful for what has been done for us. We thank His Royal Highness the Emir and His Excellency the Governor for showing us compassion.

“We are all his people, his subjects. We appeal to His Excellency the Governor out of his compassion because many of us do not have the means to build on this site,” he pleaded.

The association chairman explained that the prayer gathering was organised to mark the completion of 111 recitations of the Holy Qur’an and offer special prayers for the emir and the governor in recognition of their efforts to alleviate the suffering of the victims.

He maintained that the affected traders were not ungrateful for the government’s intervention but insisted that allocating land without providing the necessary financial support would leave many beneficiaries unable to resume their economic activities.

On assumption of power in 2023, the present administration embarked mass demolition of shopping complex at the popular Eid prayer ground and other places, grounding billions of naira worth investment.

Although, the owners of the demolished structures claimed to have fulfilled all acquired documentations and payments of their property, but the government insisted the structures were illegally acquired.

The affected traders subsequently approached the court to challenge the demolition and seek compensation for their losses. In September 2023, a Federal High Court sitting in Kano ordered the state government to pay ₦30 billion in compensation to the affected shop owners.