Two residents of Salanta quarters in Kano municipal Alh. Saminu Shehu Mohammad and Alh. Tasiu Shehu Mohammad has dragged the Kano state government, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the Inspector General of Police and 10 others before the Federal high court demanding N50 million each damages for bridge of their fundamental right

In their application, the plaintiffs are asking the court to enforce their fundamental right, restrain the state government, its agents and other respondents from further trespassing on its buildings and compel payment of compensation for torture and inhuman treatment inflicted on them and their families.

The plaintiffs instituted legal action against the respondents following the marking of the applicants’ properties on No. 41 and 43 Salanta quarters along BUK road, Kano for demolition.

Moving the motion application before Justice Simon Amobeda on Wednesday, counsel representing the plaintiffs, Barrister Bashir Ibrahim asked the court to protect his client’s fundamental rights and grant their plea.

Barrister Ibrahim had narrated how the Kano state government and the 12 other respondents ignored the court’s exparte order restraining the respondents from trespassing or demolishing their properties.

In his argument, Barrister Ibrahim disclosed how men of Kano State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA) marked his client’s residences for demolition and subsequently invaded the buildings for two days to forcefully evict the owners out of their residences.

The plaintiffs’ lawyer claimed that his clients and their families were brutally beaten and maltreated while trying to forcefully evict them thereby inflicting emotional pains on the family. The plaintiffs are asking for compensation.

In his counterargument, counsel to the Kano state government and Attorney General, Barrister M.D Mohammad raised an application on preliminary objection to the plaintiffs’ application insisting the court lack the jurisdiction to hear the matter.

Barrister Mohammad who is also the director of public prosecution Kano state ministry of Justice, had asked the court to dismiss the plaintiff’s application insisting the properties in question were illegally allocated.

The director of the public prosecution had earlier pleaded with the court to adjourn other similar matters relating to property demolition in Kano to Thursday 13th July 2023 to enable the government to prepare properly for defence.

In his ruling Justice Amobeda reserved judgement on the invocation of fundamental rights and compensation for damage to further notice. The Judge however adjourn all other matters relating to building demolition to Thursday 13th, July, for a definite hearing on the application